The recently adopted 2007 King County Budget includes funding for emergency repairs to Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center in Discovery Park.

“Daybreak Star Center is a cultural asset that serves Seattle’s Native American population and the entire community,” said King County Council Chair Larry Phillips. “The center is home to the offices of the United Indians of All Tribes, head start classes for low income children, and the annual SeaFair Indian Powwow. But the building is also home to a hazardous, failing heating system, dangerous, inadequate wiring and lighting, and flood damage.”

The Metropolitan King County Council secured $250,000 in King County’s 2007 budget to fund repairs to the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center. The funds will help pay for removal and replacement of the center’s aging HVAC system. Additional contributions from other government and private sources will be necessary to fully repair and restore the center.

The Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center was built in 1977 on a 20-acre site in Discovery Park. United Indians of All Tribes Foundation CEO Phil Lane calls it “an icon representing the urban Native American community here in King County.” The center contains a multi-million dollar art collection and hosts over 140 children in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs, youth summer camps, community gatherings, weddings, memorial services, and cultural events. More than 40,000 visitors come to the center each year.

“King County is proud to contribute to the upkeep of a building that has served the community well in such a variety of ways for decades,” said Phillips. “I know how much it means to me personally to host my annual salmon bake at Daybreak Star, so I also know how cherished it is by the other 39,999 yearly visitors.”

For more information on the 2007 Budget, visit the King County Council’s Budget Web site