BREMERTON—Finally, a bit of good news in the Youth Wellness Campus saga.

In the most recent legislative session, the state allocated $1 million of its capital budget to go toward a new roof for the old East High School gymnasium.

“That’s one huge step toward drawing more people back into that property and the potential that it holds,” said Aaron Leavell, Bremerton school district superintendent.

Prior to its disbandment, the Youth Wellness Campus had worked with legislature to procure funds for the new roof. The YWC dissolved almost two months ago due to financial problems and its operations were returned to the school district.

But YCW’s former director, Patricia Hennessy, continued working with legislature to secure the new roof.

Because YWC was a nonprofit organization, the money still had to go to another nonprofit. Kitsap Community Foundation stepped in as a proxy for the district so the gym could get its roof.

“The legislators knew that (the YWC) dissolved and Patricia really asked them to please continue the funding,” Leavell said. “The donation could still be made to the district and keeping that gymnasium alive and well in this community.”

For now, officials are uncertain when construction — and what that could entail — will begin.

“We probably won’t receive funds from the State until September or later,” said Kol Medina, executive director of Kitsap Community Foundation. “We’ll need to decide whether to start the work at that time or wait until the rain stops next spring or summer.”

Medina expects the roof to add decades to the gym’s lifespan.

The next step in resuscitating the property is demolishing the dilapidated buildings.

The buildings are full of asbestos; Leavell hopes the district can qualify for environmental grants to ease the cost of demolition.