Community center board ends capital fund raising

Published 1:15 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

SNOQUALMIE – The Snoqualmie Community Center Board of Directors voted unanimously at its Sept. 19 meeting to suspend fund-raising efforts until after Nov. 5, when a $9 million bond levy is voted on by Snoqualmie residents.

“The board felt it would be easier to continue if the bond had been approved by the voters,” said board member George Cook.

The bond levy would pay the majority of the costs for constructing a $9.7 million community center that would include a pool, gymnasium and other amenities. The 39,500-square-foot center would be built on land that was set aside in Snoqualmie Ridge when the master plan for the development was put together.

Although the campaign hoped to eventually raise $1.5 million toward the cost of constructing the center, it has so far secured only $145,370 in donations. Of the $207,000 set aside by Weyerhaeuser Real Estate Corp. (WRECO) to pay for the campaign, $132,848 has been spent for staffing, brochures and other expenses.

Jim Fletcher, a fund-raising consultant hired by Snoqualmie to direct the campaign, said staff and volunteers could not be working at a worse time to raise money.

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