Hurst Announces $3 Million Headed Toward Rainier School Renovation Project

The 'Jobs Now' package passed by the Washington state legislature this week comes with a hefty $3 million in funding for the renovation of the Rainier School in Buckley, according to a press release issued Thursday by the office of state Rep. Christopher Hurst.

“This is a really big deal” said Hurst.  “Not only does the Rainier School provide critical services for our state's most vulnerable population of disabled folks, it’s also a safe and comfortable place for them.”   

The Rainier School was one of a handful of residential habilitation centers in the state that serves the developmentally disabled, said Buckley Mayor Pat Johnson. "We need to do more for the developmentally disabled," she said, at this facility and elsewhere across the state.

The Rainier School is a very important part of the City of Buckley’s economic base as well, said Hurst. "Investments in upgrades and renovations will not only help the Rainier School today, but also shows that the state is committed to this facility for the long term," he said.  

Johnson said the Rainier School represents about 1,000 jobs in the city. "It's the largest employer up here outside of the school districts," she said.

Johnson said she was equally pleased by not only the willingness of the state to fund the Rainier School's renovations but also the amount. "That's a lot of money and will go a long way in bringing the Rainier School to what it should be. There's been a constant effort to close it for years and to see that the state is willing to put money to renovation shows me they're interested in keeping it open. ...if it closes it's devastating to this area."

Johnson said she wasn't clear on the details of the renovation but many of the cottages for the residents were built in the 80s and haven't been upgraded since.

Hurst said Speaker Rep. Frank Chopp was invited to tour the Rainier School last fall and it was during the tour that he secured a commitment from Chopp to get funding for renovation work at the Rainier School. Across the aisle, Republican Rep. Cathy Dahlquist and Sen. Pam Roach have also been strong advocates for maintaining and enhancing operations at the Rainer School.

Support for the Rainier School has never been a partisan issue for the 31st districts delegation who see this as a team effort. 

Read more about the Rainier School.