The city of Enumclaw is hosting two additional open houses about the proposed Community Center next week.

Residents that live inside the city’s limits will be voting on whether to approve a $19.5 million bond for a new community center during the April 23 special election, but their chances to ask officials questions in person will be at the Enumclaw library on Saturday, April 6, from 11 a.m. to noon, and on Tuesday, April 9, from 6:30 to 7:30 at the Enumclaw City Hall council chambers.

The overall project is expected to cost upward of $21 million, and includes not only new senior center, Arts Alive!, Enumclaw Chamber of Commerce, and city of Enumclaw Parks and Recreation Department offices and learning spaces, but an outdoor plaza, indoor common area, full-sized gym, and non-committed classroom spaces for rent.

However, the city of Enumclaw plans to use $1 million from collected real estate excise taxes (REET) and a $500,000 grant from the state legislature toward the project, which is why the bond is less than the full cost.

At this time, approving the bond means a homeowner with property assessed at $500,000 would see an estimated 30 cents per $1,000 in assessed value added to their property taxes; that’s $12.50 a month, or $150 a year.

As the bond is expected to last 29 years, that’s about $4,350 in additional property taxes for said homeowner over the lifetime of the bond.

But the city is planning on purchasing the bond in two large chunks — which means that any additional grants or donations made to the project means that the tax rate could dip.

For example, if the bond passes, the city already has another $1 million from its Property Management fund and a further $350,000 from city impact fees to apply to the project, which could ease the tax rate.

Finally, the city has asked the state legislature for another $1 million grant to fund the project and lift some weight off city residents.