MARYSVILLE — A long-empty building has come to life again after being remodeled to accommodate new classes and activities for the community.
The City Council recently named the building at 7431 64th Drive NE the Marysville Community Campus. It will open its doors in early January and already is booked with activities through March.
Formerly a driving range, the campus will provide much-needed classroom and meeting space and a grassy field that can be used for soccer and other recreational activities, city spokesman Doug Buell said.
In the past, the Marysville School District provided many community education classes, but no longer does because of the cost, city parks director Jim Ballew said. Some community churches have picked up some of those classes and activities, and the city recently has expanded its offerings as well, he said.
"We’ve basically assumed that role," Ballew said. "We do about 30 percent of what the school district used to do."
City Councilwoman Suzanne Smith has urged the city to consider providing more community activities, similar to what the Lake Stevens Family Center provides for its community.
With the advent of the Marysville Community Campus building, the city is in a better position to offer more classes for all ages, including some "tiny tot" programs, more art, yoga and self-improvement programs, and also is expanding the use of the Ken Baxter Senior Center, Ballew said. In all, there are about 60 classes scheduled.
Those scheduled so far include a variety of old favorites such as Kindermusik, babysitting classes, magic, interior decorating, bookbinding, soap making, Spanish, yoga, reiki and aromatherapy. Other offerings include reflexology for couples, astrology and health, perfume blending, aromatic gift making, scrapbooking and decorating the home.
In the food line, there will be classes in nutrition and various foods from snacks to soups, around-the-world meals to those you can get on the table quickly, and meals that heal to spring cleaning for the body. Art classes include cartooning, clay sculpture for children, basic drawing, watercolor and driftwood sculpture.
New offerings include basic ceramics and a disc jockey school for teens. The city has ordered a kiln to help students finish their ceramic projects.
"We’ve not been into pottery before," Ballew said. "That’s exciting to us."
The parks and recreation program also will offer special trips to see bald eagles and trumpeter swans.
Another exciting new program in the spring and summer will be a "safety town" for young children, Ballew said.
Youngsters 4 to 6 years old will get to meet the police and fire chiefs, learn about safety at home, on the road, in crosswalks, on the water, and learn about traffic management and safety with strangers.
"It’s meant to keep the kids engaged and let them have a lot of fun. It’s very interactive," he said.
"It covers different safety topics regarding fire, trains, parks, buses, how to cross in a crosswalk, learning that police are your friends, electrical safety and gun safety," said Kayla Flynn, the city’s recreation coordinator. The gun-safety program teaches children if they see a gun to run and get an adult.
Representatives from police, fire and transportation agencies serve as guests to present some of the material, and children get to practice their skills in a safety town village made of playhouses, with stop signs and crosswalks they can travel on their tricycles, she said.
The City Council recently adopted a schedule of fees for recreation activities and classes. Those events can run from free to a series for about $95, depending on the type of activity and whether materials are included.
The city tries to keep fees to a minimum, Ballew said. The department contracts with different instructors and the class fees pay for the instructors and some materials as well as a percentage for the city to administer the program.
While most parks programs are at city facilities, some are at school facilities, Ballew said. In order to run those programs, such as a softball league, the city agrees to maintain the facility, including daily maintenance, as well as pay for security, water and portable toilets.
"The public does have a perception … that adult classes were paying for kids classes or kids classes were paying for senior services. That’s generally not true. Each class pays for itself," Ballew said.
Reporter Cathy Logg: 425-339-3437 or logg@heraldnet.com.
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