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City staff say DOT-owned site leading candidate for community center; contamination cleanup complicates timeline
Summary
Parks staff told the commission the Department of Transportation (DOT) site is the leading candidate for a new community center because potential cleanup funding could be leveraged to offset city capital costs, but contamination and cleanup duration could force the city to choose a different location.
Parks staff told the Tumwater Parks and Recreation Commission that the Department of Transportation (DOT) site is the current leading candidate for a planned community center, but contamination at the site and the pace of DOT cleanup decisions complicate the project schedule.
Staff said DOT cleanup work could be structured so the agency caps contaminated areas and the city could attach some building costs to that remediation, potentially reducing city capital outlay. "That's why that's our number 1 site right now," the presenting staff member said. Staff added that DOT is technically responsible for cleanup and that available state or federal cleanup grants could change the financial calculus.
Because the DOT site contains contamination in multiple locations, staff said cleanup could range from removing a few feet of material to multi-year remediation. Staff said if cleanup timelines extend to 10–12 years, the city would press alternative sites and a contract with Parker Rinker/CCAT was extended through the end of the year to allow more time for site selection and due diligence.
Commissioners asked staff to continue discussion with DOT and the port and to update the commission after the city council’s scheduled work session on the community center. Staff cautioned that site selection does not alone limit the size of a facility: the city could still build larger or smaller footprints depending on funding.
