CCC Announces Grand Opening Event For Harmony West

MILWAUKIE, OR — Clackamas Community College will host a public grand opening for its newest building next week to give the Clackamas community a chance to see what their voter-approved investment paid for.

Located on the Harmony Community Campus, the college's Harmony West building opened to students at the start of winter term Jan. 8. Now the community is invited to see the new state-of-the-art facility at 7738 S.E. Harmony Rd. in Milwaukie for its grand opening event Jan. 25, beginning at 4 p.m.

Built with funding from a 2014 voter-approved bond and an $8 million contribution from the state, the $21.7 million building allows CCC to expand its Health Science department, workforce development, and general education classes, and it provides new space for the Criminal Justice program as well.

Additionally, allied health students will now be able to take all their classes at the Harmony campus, instead of needing to bounce between it and the college's Oregon City campus.

"In 2012, the college went out to the community and area businesses and asked what they needed from CCC. We dreamed how to fill that need, and we determined it had to be within the parameters of being flexible, community oriented and fiscally sound for now and in the future," outgoing CCC President Joanne Truesdell said in a statement. "I believe this building gets it right."

With three floors covering roughly 43,000 square feet, the new building reportedly has two science labs and a crime lab, expanded study space, new classrooms, and a bookstore — all of which replaces the former OIT/Dale Ickes Junior High building, which was more than 60 years old.

The grand opening ceremony next Thursday will allow guests to explore the facility through self-guided tours. Refreshments will be provided.

Image via Clackamas Community College