PORT ANGELES — The Lower Elwha Klallam tribe will fling open the doors of its new heritage center at 10 a.m. today.
The ribbon cutting will be the “soft opening” for the Elwha Klallam Heritage Center. The tribe plans a larger celebration Saturday, July 17.
“We are very excited,” said Brenda Francis, tribal communications manager.
Port Angeles Mayor Dan Di Guilio and other city officials, such as City Manager Kent Meyers, and representatives from Olympia will join the tribal council at the ceremony today, Francis said.
Francis said she wasn’t sure who was coming from Olympia, but that they would be those who work closely with the tribe on various projects.
Local residents and tourists will find at the Elwha Klallam Heritage Center an occasional opportunity to learn Native American crafts and a commercial area, which may include a gallery of fine Native American art, that will be open to the public.
The primary use of the building will be for classes for recipients of Temporary Assistance for Needy Families, or TANF.
Rachel Sullivan, who has worked off of the program, will cut the ribbon today.
Participants in the TANF program also helped with demolition of the old Perry’s Tire & Brake Service.
Visitors will walk into a Great Hall designed to give singers and dancers plenty of space to perform.
The Great Hall is flanked by wooden columns and dominated by a fountain decorated with a spiral of copper salmon.
Off to the left from the entrance is the commercial area, where crafts, T-shirts and other goods will be sold.
Construction began in the spring of 2009.
The July 17 celebration — which will kick off at 1 p.m. — will be more of a come and go occasion, Francis said.
The event was planned to coincide with the tribal canoe journey.
Pacific Northwest tribes will stop in Port Angeles on July 16 and 17 along their journey to the July 19 gathering at the Makah reservation at Neah Bay.
“It won’t really have an ending time because during the canoe journey there will be so many people here,” Francis said.
Traditional tribal dancing, food and other celebrations is expected as part of that occasion.
__________
Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.