Clark College decides on Ridgefield site

Clark College officials ended lengthy speculation May 21 by announcing the school has purchased 59 acres of land at the Ridgefield I-5 interchange for the site of its North County campus.

“For our students, the door of opportunity and access will be opened wider,” Clark College President Bob Knight said in a news release. “For the city of Ridgefield, this announcement is monumental. Once built, the North County campus will be known as Clark College at Boschma Farms.”

Former dairy farmers Hank and Bernice Boschma gave $3.1 million for the land purchase. That was augmented by $6 million from the Clark College Foundation.

The new campus is planned to open in 2020 with one building capable of serving 1,000 students. It will grow to include four to six buildings and other facilities after that, according to college projections.

The exact location of the campus will be on the east side of North 65th Avenue, north of Pioneer Street and northeast of the I-5 and Pioneer Street interchange.

The North County campus, which will be half the size of Clark College’s main campus in Vancouver, will focus on health care education and general courses. College officials have been searching for a North County site since 2011, considering several parcels near the Ridgefield I-5 intersection and another in Battle Ground. The latter was discounted because it wasn’t close enough to I-5.

Ridgefield Mayor Ron Onslow believes the campus will give even more impetus to economic development in the city.

“It’s exciting – a huge win for everybody involved,” he said in a news release. “Clark College at Boschma Farms will be a hub of activity that attracts even more new businesses to benefit all of north county.”

The announcement follows years of work between Clark College, the City of Ridgefield and the Port of Ridgefield, said Lee Knottnerus, Ridgefield’s administrative services director. She said Clark College at Boschma Farms shows recognition that Ridgefield is quickly growing into a well-planned regional hub.

“The campus also supports the City’s long-term goal of attracting high-paying, knowledge-based jobs,” she said.

Clark College officials noted that in April the Washington State Board of Community and Technical Colleges prioritized construction projects for the upcoming biennium. The North County campus will receive design funding in the 2017-2019 budget, under that prioritization. Construction funding is expected in the 2019-2021 budget, college spokesman Chat Hazelbaker said.

The expansion to Ridgefield follows the college’s 2007 Facilities Master Plan, which identified North County as a growth area based on projections from regional economists.