Horizons group seeking support for grant, community center

The Horizons of Cathlamet/Wahkiakum is seeking support of local governmental bodies for its goal of creating a community center.

Horizon representatives described their goals Monday to the Cathlamet town council, Tuesday to the Wahkiakum County board of commissioners, and last night (Wednesday) to the Wahkiakum School District board of directors.

The group plans to apply for grants next September to conduct an in-depth public survey on support and need for a community center, Horizons member and Wahkiakum High School sophomore Erin Turner told the town council Monday.

Horizons has already conducted a survey in the 98612 zip code and found support for a community center serving both youth and adults. That survey's scope--98612--was limited by grant funding, group member Craig Brown said Tuesday. The group has also held community conversations across the county and feels there's support for such a center, such as that now offered at Johnson Park, in the Westend, too.

Turner and Brown said Horizons is asking the local governmental bodies to be co-sponsors of the grant request.

"Local government support will help the application," Brown said.

The group plans to visit Wahkiakum PUD next week and the county's two port districts at their May commission meetings.

A center, Turner and Brown said, should be located as close to schools as possible. They visited a center in Skamania county that was 1.54 miles form the town's schools, and there was little youth participation.

Senior citizens also want and need a center, Brown said.

The group doesn't yet have firm ideas of where a center should be in Cathlamet, the speakers said. It could be at the old fire hall, an addition at the municipal pool, a second floor at the museum, or part of a waterfront development project.

Horizons has a website with more information: http://www.cathlamet.blogspot.com.

According to the site, Horizons is an 18-month community leadership program with five required segments and is funded by the Northwest Area Foundation, whose mission is to help reduce poverty in small rural and reservation communities.