A West Coast Training crane digs into part of the old Lakeside Motel during a ceremony May 23.
Seven-year-old Landon Johns readies a crane to begin demolition of the old Lakeside Motel building, aided by a worker from West Coast Training during a ceremony May 23. Several Woodland youth were able to take part in the event which marked progress made on bringing a YMCA to the city.
The old Lakeside Motel in Woodland is coming down.
The crunches of a crane bucket tore into the roof and walls of the former lodging business during a ceremonial start of demolition May 23, well attended by members of the local community. Cheers erupted following the crane’s first rip into the building, piloted by Landon Johns, 7, with the help of a worker with West Coast Training.
As the demolition continued, several other Woodland youth got in on the action taking down the dilapidated building. The event heralded the start of work on a YMCA to be built on the site, part of ongoing efforts by a group of Woodland residents who have been pushing for the facility, and eventually a pool, for years.
Several community leaders spoke at the ceremony, including Woodland mayor Will Finn, Woodland Chamber of Commerce Treasurer Darlene Johnson, State Rep. Ed Orcutt, R-Kalama and Woodland Public Schools Superintendent Michael Green.
Also speaking was Benno Dobbe, president and chairman of the Woodland Community Swimming Pool Committee (WCSPC). Ostensibly named for the committee’s goal to bring a pool to the city, the WCSPC has recently switched gears to throw their support behind bringing a YMCA facility to Woodland first, following a failed bond that would fund construction of a facility complete with a pool.
For now, the YMCA won’t have a pool, but there is hope that down the line that goal could be met. Dobbe said in his speech that after funding was secure for the facility the committee could come back with a pool proposition to be built on land adjacent to the motel currently owned by him and his wife, Klazina.
“But first things first, let’s get this YMCA facility built ASAP,” Dobbe said in his speech. He said that of existing donors for the WCSPC’s project, all were on board with having their dollars go to finance the facility first, allowing for the project to move forward in its tweaked plan.
Though a crane has been taken to Lakeside Motel, the full demolition is slated for June 15. Coinciding with Planter’s Days, Dobbe said that donors for the YMCA project will have a chance to knock down their own chunk of the building.
The current plan for the YMCA differs from the proposal put in front of voters in November as building the facility will not require funds by way of property taxes, instead utilizing a variety of sources including state grants, a new market tax credit, foundation funding, gifts in kind and philanthropy, Dobbe listed.
“We should be able to receive enough solid financial commitments in a reasonably short period of time, allowing us to start construction in 2020,” Dobbe said.
