Managers at the Jefferson County YMCA say the early learning and family support center may open as soon as the end of 2025, nearly a year after initially planned. 

In 2023, the YMCA and the Port Townsend School District signed a lease for a 1.16-acre parcel of vacant land on the high school campus, where the new center will be built. 

Construction on the parcel was initially set to begin in the spring of 2024, with the facility slated to open in early 2025. However, complex requirements tied to multiple funding sources resulted in a delay in the groundbreaking, said Wendy Bart, CEO of the Olympic Peninsula YMCA.

“We’re very fortunate to have been able to secure almost $5 million in funding for this project from different sources,” Bart said. “But, those funders have different requirements for things that are in place before we start construction, which has delayed the process.”

The scope of the center expanded in the meantime. It had an early estimated budget of $2 million, but services expanded to include food security and family support services, raising the budget to $4.7 million. 

The project’s funding comes from five sources: a directed appropriation from the U.S. Congress ($1.4 million), government pledges ($290,000), Jefferson Healthcare ($50,000), the Washington State Department of Commerce ($1 million) and a community development block grant ($2 million).

Now, with fully secured funds, the project will go out to bid in the coming weeks, Bart said. If everything goes according to plan, construction will begin in early 2025, with the center opening by late 2025. 

“Once we get those project bids back and a general contractor is chosen, we’re going to start immediately,” Bart said. “We all recognize the need for these facilities. We needed them yesterday, we needed the before the pandemic. We are working as quickly as we can and are doing everything we can to ensure that there aren’t any additional delays.”

“Many times in our community, the needs are interwoven,” Bart said. “If you are a family that is struggling with food insecurity, a lot of times you are also in need of additional support. So it just created a facility that could more comprehensively address needs for youth and families in our community.” 

When completed, the 4,000+-square-foot facility will provide a range of services for youth and families in the area. The center will offer child care for up to 42 children ages 6 months to 5 years, meal services for over 75 families, and resource navigation for more than 50 families. 

Thirty percent of the childcare spots will be reserved for subsidized care.