December 4, 2015

District 9 receives three 4Culture grants

At our November 23rd meeting, the King County Council voted to approve legislation awarding capital improvement grants to cultural facilities throughout our county. The grants come from Building for Culture, a partnership between King County and 4Culture, King County's cultural services agency.

I was able to advocate for funding to KidsQuest Children's Museum, the Renton Historical Society, and the Enumclaw Expo Center. KidsQuest is an award winning children's museum that encourages learning through play with an emphasis on science, technology, engineering, art and math (STEAM). I was able to work with my colleagues to increase their award to $1 million, $500,000 more than they had previously expected, which will go to supporting their nearly 650 programs that serve over 180,000 children and families in King County.

Working with my council colleague Dave Upthegrove, we ensured that the Renton Historical Society received a $20,500 capital improvement grant to help fund the renovation of the Renton Historical Museum lobby. The renovation will provide a more welcoming entrance and safer access for people with disabilities. The museum is home to a small public research library as well as over 15,000 photographs and 90,000 objects spanning all periods of Renton's past.

The Enumclaw Expo Center, home to the King County Fair, is seeking to renovate their historic Field House, an important cultural icon for the City of Enumclaw since 1939. I was able to work with my colleagues to secure a capital improvement grant for $77,026 to be awarded to the Enumclaw Expo Center for the restoration of the historic Field House, $47,000 more than the organization had previously expected.

Ravensdale mining disaster photos

If you participated in the 100th Anniversary of the Ravensdale Mining Disaster, pictures are now available on Facebook. Just follow the link:

https://www.facebook.com/councilmemberreagandunn/