Colfax- The Port of Whitman County received an Early Learning Facilities (ELF) Program grant from the Washington State Department of Commerce (Commerce). The grant will fund 60% completion of the design and engineering for a potential childcare facility in Colfax, Washington. 

The ELF Program supports development of high-quality early learning opportunities in Washington State, including the purchase, construction, or remodel of early learning facilities. The Port’s grant will fund permitting work and design for the necessary ingress/egress from a city-owned street, parking, grading, utilities, building shell construction, HVAC, plumbing, electrical, and stormwater. The design and engineering work will give the Port a concrete understanding of the construction and maintenance costs of the potential facility.

“The Port is excited to explore the potential of a new childcare facility in Colfax,” Commission President Karl Webber said. “The Port thanks Commerce for the grant dollars and their belief in this project.”

In 2024, the Port received a $75,000 grant from Commerce to fund a study that explored the feasibility of a new childcare facility in Colfax. The study found that a childcare facility could be viable in Colfax as the town lacked childcare providers, particularly providers for children under 30 months. Since the completion of the study, the Community Child Care Center in Colfax now provides care for children over 12 months.

As part of the feasibility study, the Port identified a potential site for the facility adjacent to the Colfax Junior-Senior High School. In January 2026, the Port purchased the property. Due diligence revealed historical environmental contamination on the property. Previously used as a seed depot, the site contains concentrations of contaminants of concern in the soil. The site must be cleaned up before any construction can commence. The Port is moving forward with the cleanup process and is focused on completing that work prior to future reuse.

“The design and engineering work, along with the cleanup of the property, are the first steps of many in this project,” Port Executive Director Kara Riebold said. “We appreciate the community partners that have helped the Port in this process. We look forward to completing this work and having a better picture of the future of this facility.”

The engineering and design work will be completed by the summer of 2027. Once that work is finished, the Port will evaluate the childcare facility’s viability and decide on a path for the project.  

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About the Port of Whitman County

The Port of Whitman County is dedicated to improving the quality of life for all citizens of Whitman County through industrial real estate development, preservation of multi-modal transportation, facilitation of economic development and provision of on-water recreational opportunities. For more information about Port properties and ongoing projects, visit the Port website, www.portwhitman.com.