PORT TOWNSEND — A new cabin that took more than four years to construct through extensive volunteer labor opened for business with ceremony Sunday, and it will be open to a variety of youth and community groups.
“This isn’t just for Boy Scouts but for any youth group that wants to use it,” said Rennie Bergstrom to a crowd of about 100 people in the cabin’s main room, which was christened as the Ralph Ericksen Hall.
Ericksen, who was surprised by the honor, led a 12-member “Geezer Patrol” of elderly and retired volunteers who did much of the construction.
Former Jefferson County Administrator David Goldsmith gave the invocation that designated the cabin as “a place of sanctuary” for Scouts and other youth groups.
“This should be a place where people learn the life skills that serve each individual and lead to the betterment of mankind,” Goldsmith said.
“It should help youth to learn how to develop the co-operation, leadership and camaraderie that will serve them for the rest of their lives.”
“This is a place for people to create new memories and bring their families together,” said Port Townsend Mayor David King.
“I am so proud what we have done with this building,” said American Legion Post Cmdr. Joe Carey.
“This is one of the best things that I’ve ever been involved in, in my entire life.”
The cabin is located on a 3-acre plot at LeRoy Carroll Park on the corner of Mill Road and Discovery Road, bordering state Highway 20 just south of town.
The 2,000-square-foot building has a large meeting room, a kitchen, two restrooms and an office, along with a large basement to store supplies.
The main floor is a wide-open space constructed with rustic wood.
The kitchen and restrooms are at one end of the large room, and there is a small office and a loft that will be used for storage.
Ericksen said the final cost for the construction will be about $300,000, an amount that would have been more than double if volunteer labor and community donations were not available.
The plan is that the cabin will be a center for Scouts, both local and visiting, and that it will be rented for weddings or parties.
Local Scouts are from Boy Scout Troop 1477, Cub Scout Troop 479 and Sea Scout Troop 1697. All are members of the Mount Olympus District of the Chief Seattle Council.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
