A Project Comes Full Circle at The Community Center

There are moments in a project like this when progress isn’t measured in steel or square footage—but in clarity. For The Community Center, this is one of those moments.

No longer a patch of raw land with bare steel rising out of the ground. What once stood as the earliest outline of possibility is now something fully alive. Today, it’s a well-manicured campus anchored by a beautiful, active facility—home to offices, playrooms, a coffee shop, a fitness center, and the Lake Chelan Boys & Girls Club. And with the gymnasium and performing arts center now fully funded, named, and ready to move forward, the path ahead is no longer uncertain. It’s defined. And with that clarity comes something even more meaningful: the return of the team that helped bring the project to life from the very beginning.

Rimmer and Roeter Construction is back.

For partner Jamie Rimmer, the moment carries both professional significance and something more personal. He’s been part of this project since its earliest days—long before walls were up and long before the building became what it is today.

He remembers when it was still taking shape. When plans were evolving. When momentum was hard-earned.

And when everything paused during a pandemic.

“For a project like this,” Jamie has said, “you’re always balancing people, sequencing, and funding. When one piece pauses, everything else has to be renegotiated.”

Like so many projects, The Community Center faced challenges that no one could have predicted. Work slowed. Timelines shifted. Costs rose. At times, progress felt fragile.

But something held.

“Everyone stayed focused on the same goal,” Jamie said. “Everyone wanted to  see this succeed.”

That shared commitment is what carried the project forward—and what makes this moment feel different.

Because today, when Jamie walks into The Community Center, he no longer sees steel or schedules. He sees something else entirely.

People reading. Talking. Meeting friends. Bringing their kids. Stopping for coffee.

Not there for a single purpose—but because they belong.

“That’s what’s refreshing,” he said. “People are here to enjoy the space.”

The Community Center has become what it was always intended to be—a place that brings people together across generations, across communities, and across everyday life.

And now, the next piece of that vision is ready to be built.

The gymnasium and performing arts center have always been an essential part of the campus—spaces designed for youth sports, performances, community events, and large gatherings. With funding secured and a clear path forward, construction will soon begin to bring those spaces to life.

For Rimmer and Roeter, returning to serve as General Contractor is more than a continuation of work. It’s a chance to finish something they helped start—and to do so with the benefit of experience, perspective, and a deep understanding of what this project represents.

“I grew up here,” Jamie said. “I want to see this finished for the community.”

He sees construction as more than building structures—it’s about honoring something deeper.

“When someone builds a home, that’s their dream,” he explained. “This is the community’s dream.”

There’s a different kind of energy around The Community Center now.

Not the uncertainty of earlier days, but the quiet confidence of something that has already proven its value—and is ready to grow.

The work ahead is clear. The team is in place. And the vision that once felt distant is now within reach.

One step at a time.

Built here.
Built together.
Built to last.

To make a tax-deductible contribution, visit our fundraising page or contact Executive Director Maribel Cruz at maribel@chelancommunity.org.