The following is a press release from the King County Council.

In rural King County, where services and communities are often geographically spread out, having access to a vehicle is critical. Metropolitan King County Vice Chair Reagan Dunn has delivered a surplus Metro Transit Vanpool to the Black Diamond Community Center to assist the facility in meeting the transportation needs in the community.

“It’s wonderful to be able to pair these retired Metro vans with organizations that service residents in District 9,” said Dunn. “This van, that will transport those who visit the Black Diamond Community Center, now has a second opportunity to provide for King County residents.”

The donated van will help staff transport senior citizens Tuesdays and Thursdays to and from Center programs. Children, grades K-5, in the center’s daycare program will be transported to field trips in southeast King County. Low-income food bank clients, disabled clients, and residents from the Green River Gorge will also benefit from this van.

The Black Diamond Community Center provides a variety of programs to residents of the greater Black Diamond area including emergency assistance, senior social events, recreation, and before and after school care for children grades K-5. The retired vans have been part of Metro Transit’s vanpool fleet for at least six years and have reached the end of their service life. When the vans reach this age, they are considered surplus.

“The Black Diamond Community Center is very thankful for the new van that was donated,” said Cheryl Hanson, Executive Director of the Black Diamond Community Center. “The van will be used to transport seniors for field trips, walking trails, doctor appointments and other health care needs. The van will also be available to seniors who need transportation to our center for lunch on Tuesdays and Thursdays, or to other senior center for more aging in place activities. The Board of Directors and staff appreciate Councilman Dunn’s continued support of our center in Black Diamond.”

The vanpool program provides mobility for a diverse array of King County residents, supports the positive work of various local organizations, and relieves traffic congestion by reducing the need for single-occupancy vehicles. Interested organizations can contact Councilmember Dunn at 206-477-1009 or reagan.dunn@kingcounty.gov for more information about the 2018 Metro Van Pool Application process.