The city of Poulsbo website has a very good recap of the PERC. https://cityofpoulsbo.com/perc-updated/ . We expect to be building the first phase in the fall of 2025 or spring of 2026. Phase 1 is funded (or will be funded with the passage of the Public Facility District agreement at the end of February- next month). The matching portion required by the Public Facility District is included in the city of Poulsbo budget. Phase 1 includes 2 tournament fields, numerous sports courts, walking pathways and a splash pad. All these facilities will be open to the public. I would also hope we will have Phase 2 and 3 completed before 2030-2032. Phase 2 is the YMCA structure and Phase 3 is an outdoor recreational pool. The YMCA structure is very important as Olympic College moves forward with their Allied Health Center for training medical professionals. The YMCA will be similar to the YMCA at the Tacoma campus of the University of Washington. We have toured the Tacoma YMCA twice and learned a lot from our tours. It will be for students and the public, including childcare facilities for the campus (or this is my initial expectation) and potentially operated by the Poulsbo Parks and Recreational Department. Phase 3 is an outdoor recreational pool. An outdoor pool is much less expensive to operate, and as our climate changes, will be a welcome addition to our summertime heat. There is not another facility like this in the county.
The important point of the PERC- we are very close to complete funding for Phase 1. We have a initial plan and timeline for Phase 2 (the YMCA structure) and Phase 3 (the outdoor pool). All these phases should be completed in the next 7-8 years. The infrastructure is in (roads, water, sewer), it will be surrounded by the colleges (OC and Western), restaurants, hotels, and multi-family residential, connected to large, concentrated neighborhoods who can access the facilities through walking pathways. There is land available at the Olhava location, to construct the entire project. My expectation is Phase 2 and Phase 3 will be paid for by voted debt, grants, and partnership funding. It is the only way something of this scale can be paid for by local government, by forming partnerships and seeking several revenue sources. Funding is the key factor on when and how Phase 2 and Phase 3 will be constructed.
We have been working on this type of facility since 2006 (then called the North Kitsap Regional Event Center- see attached photo). It’s been a very long time. Our greater community, all Kitsap, deserves this type of facility. It is the right facility located in the right place. It is time to build it.
Rebecca (Becky) Erickson
Mayor, City of Poulsbo
200 Moe Street
Poulsbo, WA 98370
President- Puget Sound Regional Council, Boardmember- Kitsap Regional Coordinating Council, Kitsap Economic Development Alliance, Kitsap Transit, Housing Kitsap
Open office hours, Saturday mornings, 9:00 to noon, City Hall, no appointment required.