MUKILTEO — To raze or to renovate?
Voters in Mukilteo have one more chance to hear both sides of the Rosehill Community Center debate before weighing in on what happens to the former school building.
A forum on whether to renovate or replace the aging community center is scheduled from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Thursday at Rosehill at 304 Lincoln Ave. The event is being organized by the Mukilteo Historical Society and will be moderated by a member of the League of Women Voters.
In the Feb. 19 primary election, Mukilteo voters will be asked whether they would rather see the former school building renovated or replaced with a new community center.
“We just feel that the more it can be talked about, and the more educated we can be as citizens and voters, the better the decision we’ll make,” said John Petroff, president of the Mukilteo Historical Society.
The City Council will make the final decision about what to do with Rosehill, but council members put the issue to a vote to gauge the public’s opinion on the long-divisive issue.
The city’s plans to renovate would cost between $13 million and $15.3 million, depending on how much work is done to the interior of the building. The city’s plan to build a new community center would cost an estimated $16.2 million.
People who favor renovating the old building believe it’s an important piece of the city’s history that is still capable of functioning as a community center. Those in favor of tearing down Rosehill say a new community center would make better use of the property and could be built to accommodate more events and activities.
Petroff hopes Thursday’s forum will draw residents who are not familiar with all the issues surrounding Rosehill.
Often, many of the same people show up for discussions about the community center, Mukilteo Mayor Joe Marine said.
“I hope that 200 or 300 people show up who are really looking to get the information to help make a decision on it,” he said.
The Mukilteo Historical Society is not taking sides on the issue, Petroff said. Members of the society are split over what should happen to the former school, which was built in 1928 to replace Rose Hill School — a wooden, Victorian-style building — that burned down earlier that year.
“It’s a double-edged sword, with opportunities at both ends,” Petroff said. “Either we get a renovated Rosehill, which will benefit the community, or we get a new community center, which would be an opportunity for our generation to build an icon for future historians.
“For us, the community wins either way.”
Reporter Scott Pesznecker: 425-339-3436 or spesznecker@heraldnet.com.
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