PORT ANGELES — Wendy Bart, the CEO of the Olympic Peninsula YMCA led a ground breaking ceremony Wednesday afternoon at the location of the new Early Learning Center to be built just west of the YMCA’s current parking lot off Francis Street.
Bart, in her opening remarks, said the idea for the project was formed during COVID when they realized the Olympic Peninsula was “a child care desert.”
“The people of the Olympic Peninsula are magical,” Bart said when explaining that $7 million of the needed $9 million needed for the project has been promised. “We have a trajectory for success from a caring community.”
Over 40 local dignitaries and attendees came for the introduction and the event. The ceremonial shoveling had a slew of small helpers — YMCA program youth with child-size hard hats and shovels, including Kamden Hazard, Jessica Davis, Porter Uskoski, David Belanger, William Horejsi, Micha Howell-Hazard, and Ari Bogren.
The 8,000-square-foot building is expected to open in September 2026. The facility, designed for children younger than 5, is expected have hours of 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. The general contractor is GLY Construction of Bellevue, with design by BCRA Design of Tacoma.
