PORT TOWNSEND — Plans to transform Fort Worden State Park into a lifelong learning center are moving from theory to reality with a new facilities plan.
“These ideas have been pretty theoretical up until now,” said Dave Robison, the executive director of the Fort Worden Lifelong Learning Center Public Development Authority.
“We are now connecting them to the practicality of determining what we need to do in terms of site renovation and determine what buildings can be used for which specific programs,” Robison added.
A public meeting to discuss a program development and capital improvement plan will begin at 7 p.m. today at Fort Worden Commons, where the plan will be presented for public response.
Robison said it won’t be a place for new ideas.
Instead, the public development authority wants to know if it is on the right track.
“The plan has been thoroughly vetted by Fort Worden partners and PDA staff,” Robison said.
“We want to have the opportunity to hear from the public and make sure we are moving in the right direction in terms of meeting Port Townsend’s arts and education’s needs.”
Robison said the report has a 20-year span. Its ideas have been under discussion for 10 years and it will take about a decade for implementation.
The plan was developed at a cost of $150,000 by a team of consultants, architects, arts consultants, financial consultants and real estate advisors.
Three of these consultants — Signal Architects, Miller Hull Partnership and Elm Environments — will present the plan at tonight’s meeting.
The plan, viewable at http://tinyurl.com/PDN-PDA-PLAN, outlines specific plans for each of the available buildings on the campus, Robison said.
He said the most exciting part of the plan is the creation of a “Maker’s Square” on campus, tying together an area that was recently vacated by the State Park Service.
The public development authority took over management of the campus portion of the park in May 2014 — intending to devleopment a lifelong leraning center there — and leaving the park portion under the management of State Parks.
“There are a lot of under-utilized buildings that we are hoping to tie together for arts, educational and cultural uses,” Robison said.
“It can bring in new energy and programs to help us to fulfill our vision.”
Robison also told of plans to construct a “circulation spine,” renovating a path that exists behind several buildings as a way to connect them.
“This will provide linkages to the buildings, and gathering spots, and gardens to interconnect the campus between its meeting rooms, its accommodations, programming spaces and classrooms.”
The nature of accommodations will also need to be examined, Robison said.
“We need to determine what kind of accommodations we need to support the kinds of programs we want to offer,” he said.
“Will attendees be satisfied by group housing or do we need to add types of higher-end accommodations to support the programs?” he asked.
For more information go to fortworden.org.
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Jefferson County Editor Charlie Bermant can be reached at 360-385-2335 or cbermant@peninsuladailynews.com.
