POULSBO — Viking Fest, Bight of Poulsbo founder Bill Austin’s birthday and the reopening of the Marine Science Center all in one weekend? It’s a lot, but it all might happen the weekend of May 18-20.

Last week, Austin and a group of volunteers began the arduous task of refurbishing the interior of the center, which closed its doors to the public in March 2005 due to financial problems.

Austin, in response, spearheaded a community-wide movement to bring the center back to life.

Through the formation of the Poulsbo Marine Science Foundation and with help from both local and state officials, the city received a $250,000 state grant during the 2006 legislative session to assist the effort.

However, until the PMSF and city signed a lease and use agreement for the building in November, the foundation was unable to make any improvements.

Among the first additions to the MSC was a 5,000-gallon fish tank donated by the Seattle Aquarium, which was finally put into the building last week.

“Having the tank is a huge plus for us,” Austin said.

Credit for the tank’s acquisition, he said, belongs to Scott Horner of BIOS, LLC, an internationally recognized aquarium builder.

“I’ll be meeting with him, and we’ll organize the interior of the aquarium,” Austin said. “That will be a huge step.”

Once the plan is developed, it will be presented to the foundation’s board for approval and then to the city council, he said.

“We’ve got all sorts of professional people coming to help us,” Austin said.

Those professionals will be instrumental in reviving the center as the previous tenant, the Marine Science Society of the Pacific Northwest, gutted the building when it moved out, he said.

“It really makes me sad that they would do that, so we’re having to start from scratch,” Austin said.

However, the community has rallied around the efforts to reopen the center and businesses including Advanced Rentals, Northwest Millworks and Kitsap Paintsmith have all offered to help, Austin said.

For Mayor Kathryn Quade, signing the lease before the end of 2006 was a big step toward meeting one of her goals, which was reopening the center to the public.

“We should be seeing a lot of activity in the next three months,” Quade said. “They’re poised and have got everything ready to start bringing it back to life.”

Along with that activity will come another effort by city officials to secure additional state funding in the 2007 legislative session, Quade said.

As she prepares for another term in Olympia, 23rd District state Rep. Sherry Appleton (D-Poulsbo) said she intends to keep her word of providing two years of state funding for the center.

“I promised them two years when I first met with (36th District, Position 1 Rep.) Helen Sommers and I’m hoping she will help me live up to my promise,” Appleton said.

Sommers is the chair of the Washington State House Appropriations Committee, which is responsible for setting the state’s budget priorities.

With this avenue open, the initial improvements to the building couldn’t have come at a better time, and Appleton said she is excited about the possibilities.

“It is the most important thing, because we have to show the Legislature we are committed to marine science education,” she said.

The center also plays into Gov. Chris Gregoire’s renewed emphasis on math and science education statewide, Appleton said.

“I think it’s going to be a showcase of marine science in the Northwest,” Appleton said.