CCC Building Improvement

The Building Improvement Campaign

~ updated September 2009

Before 411 S Western Avenue was the CCC--was a meeting place, a theater, a gallery, a classroom, a dance studio, a market place for fine arts and crafts, a commercial kitchen, and a children’s art camp--before all that it was a mechanic’s garage, a car dealership, and a tire store.

When you consider our building was constructed in the 1950s you get some idea how old the windows are, or the condition of the insulation. We inherited an antiquated oil furnace as the primary heat source, and no air conditioning. Many people have worked hard to make the best of an outdated place never built for the way we use it.

After years of 'making do' and temporary fixes, we decided to (once and for all) renovate the big, green, concrete building that's been serving the community so many years, and provide a beautiful, comfortable and inviting Community Center to all of northern Okanogan County.

Renovations are happening in stages over three years. We’ve divided the building into Front Half and Back Half, then we will finish the Upstairs. Each area will have its own heating and cooling system. In the winter of 2007-08 the Front Half's heat pump was installed, which made classes and events there much more comfortable (no sending someone ahead by 3 hours to warm up the room with only the woodstove!)

In the spring of 2008 the building's spacious, beautifully tiled restrooms were completed.
click pictures to enlarge them in a new window or tab

The entry and hallway areas were insulated, rewired, sheetrocked, painted, and had the floor evened out. There's new lighting, a pair of drinking fountains, new furniture and rug, and a lovely version of our logo was later finished into the concrete.

Hallway Arch & Fountains

Floor Logo

Entry Sofa

In early 2009 one of the four rooms upstairs was renovated
and is currently being rented to the Pamtingpa Study Center. This is the group that has been holding meditation classes on Monday evenings. Now they have a beautiful, new, and inviting space for their study group.

During the summer of 2009 we replaced the building's old roof. Now that the roof is done our next project is to remodel the large room we call The Dance Hall. The room has had everything removed and it'll soon be power washed. Bids for contractors will go out this fall and we expect work to begin in the winter of 2010. An entire outside wall needs to be replaced here, and there will also be lighting and stage improvements. Imagine how beautiful it will be in a year or so once this phase of the renovation is complete!

We will still need to insulate and replace windows in other areas, and renovate most of the upstairs area, as well as the exterior of the building (no scheduled time for these yet.)

We have had many donated hours and volunteers helping with this project. A local architect and an engineer both donated their services and our contractor and carpenters spent countless unpaid hours on our renovations as well. Many a CCC member came by to lend a hand--some a few hours, some a few days.

The total cost of renovations was estimated at over $400,000 back in 2007--a figure that keeps increasing with inflation. It's a large sum, but not impossible to obtain.

We have received grants from the Okanogan Family Faire, The Community Foundation of North Central Washington, Saturna International of Bellingham, The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, MJ Murdock Charitable Trust, and federal appropriations funds. These monies, along with profit from the 2007 Tonasket Community Theater production and some private donations, started our Building Improvement Fund. More grants and fundraising events will be needed.

And we need YOUR support to make it all happen. Many grant agencies require us to provide matching funds and/or strong community support, which can be a financial donation or donations of goods and services. Since we're a 501(c)3 charitable organization your donations are tax-deductible. No amount is too small – it may seem like a drop in a large bucket, but that bucket will fill!

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YES! I would like to contribute to the Community Cultural Center Building Improvement Campaign in order to help support the necessary renovations to the CCC.

Because 3% of each donation would be lost to banking fees, we do not accept credit card payments or PayPal. Drop by the Center Tuesdays and Thursdays 9:30am-4pm, or mail the following information with your check or money order made payable to "CCC Building Improvement".

__ I wish to make a one-time donation

__ I would like to pledge __monthly or __other _____________

In the amount of __ $20 __ $50 __ $100 __ $1000 __ other$_____

Name________________________________________________

Address_______________________________________________

________________________________________________________

Phone______________________ email________________________

__ I am interested in working with the Fundraising Committee

__ I have goods or services I would like to donate

_______________________________________________________

Please mail to:
CCC Building Improvement Fund
P.O. Box 664
Tonasket, WA 98855