Community Government Health & Wellness

PenMet Parks celebrates installation of final recreation center beam

PenMet Parks’ community recreation center reached a milestone Tuesday with placement of the final beam.

Community Sponsor

Community stories are made possible in part by Peninsula Light Co, a proud sponsor of Gig Harbor Now.

About 25 parks district staff and commissioners, construction team representatives and Peninsula Art League board members attended the topping-out ceremony. They signed their names on the 22-foot-long steel beam with colored markers and clipped a PenMet 20th anniversary banner to it. They then watched as a 100-foot crane hoisted it high into the bright blue sky and maneuvered it into the roof framework, where workers in scissor lift trucks bolted it on.

PenMet Project Manager John Adams describes the project. Jody Miller Construction Senior Project Manager Adam Kulhawik is to his left. Photo by Ed Friedrich

The small crowd hooted and clapped, then celebrated with pizza and soft drinks.

Team effort

“This is a big milestone for our community and a lot of people played a really big role in getting here,” PenMet Executive Director Ally Bujacich said. “We’re really grateful for all of the parties — the community, park board, PenMet Parks staff. So many people worked very hard to get to this point.”

Stakeholders sign their names to the beam, including board member Billy Sehmel (green shirt) and board president Missy Hill (far end). Photo by Ed Friedrich

Jody Miller Construction of Spanaway broke ground on the 58,000 square-foot structure in August under a $20.7 million construction contract. The total project budget is $31.6 million.

Inside the building

The indoor facility will feature an artificially turfed, multi-sport field, three courts for basketball, pickleball and volleyball, an elevated walking track, multi-purpose community spaces and an art corridor where PenMet partner Peninsula Art League artists will display their creations.

A worker steadies the beam as a crane lifts it into place. Photo by Ed Friedrich

The original completion date was next month. But supply chain issues, primarily with steel, have delayed opening until probably early 2025. The district hasn’t set a solid date.

Supply chain issues

“It’s moving along well with the exception of the delivery of materials,” said PenMet Project Manager John Adams. “We’re talking about what the impacts are now. The contractor submitted a revised timeline and PenMet is reviewing it now. The building went up pretty fast, all things considered, once the materials were here.”

Workers on scissor lift trucks bolt the beam into place. Photo by Ed Friedrich

Workers have applied sheeting to half the building. They will now skinned in the rest so tradesmen can work indoors. Most underground utilities are installed. Site work continues with preparations being made for curbs and paving, Adams said.

Full speed ahead

“We’re full-speed ahead and then some,” said Adam Kulhawik, senior project manager with Jody Miller. “We’re working overtime to take advantage of the good weather to get it done and turned over to this community.

Sketch of how the recreation center will look when finished. Courtesy of PenMet Parks

“It’s a great team to work with. In construction there are always going to be issues. We find solutions that work for everybody.”

Phase 1 of the project comprised renovating the former Performance Golf building for PenMet’s administrative offices. The parks district replaced the contractor, delaying completion by several months. Staff moved in on Dec. 6.