about

OUR STORY

Bethaday Community Learning Space (BCLS) is conveniently nestled inside of King County’s Dick Thurnau Memorial Park. With breathtaking sunsets and a spectacular venue, we offer the most romantic wedding celebrations. From an intimate 40-acre park setting to a majestic wedding space, our gorgeous Silver LEED Certified facility creates a memorable ambiance for your celebration. Our space is rich with modern architecture, natural and modern textiles with everything from wood planked walls, fire hose walls, cement slab flooring, roll up garage doors, and earthy decor. This chic and refined facility is flexible and able to accommodate the unique requirements for your special event.

BCLS was built in 2012 through an innovative public/private partnership between King County and Technology Access Foundation (TAF), a nonprofit with a mission to equip students of color for success in college and life through the power of an interdisciplinary STEM education and supportive relationships. King County provided the land, donated funding towards the project, and the opportunity for BCLS to be built in the Dick Thurnau Memorial Park. All proceeds earned through BCLS rentals go directly towards TAF operations to support students in STEM education.

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dICK tHURNAU mEMORIAL pARK sTORY

Dick Thurnau was an activist, amateur historian, and a recognizable face in the White Center community. He used his love of history to help in the restoration of Lake Hicklin located in Lakewood Park near his home. Dick played an integral role in the development of TAF’s Bethaday Community Learning Space. With unbreakable commitment and stanch support of TAF, he was there every step of the way through the construction of BCLS.

In 2015, Lakewood Park was renamed Dick Thurnau Memorial Park in honor of a great man who advocated for improvements in his local community. He will forever be part of the TAF family.

uNIQUE BETHADAY FEATURES

The walking surface of the bridge from the parking lot to the main entrance is made of wooden floor beams salvaged from the former Greenbridge Housing Development which was demolished in 2007.
The discarded fire hose used to clad one of the walls in the classrooms was purchased to represent the re-use potential of an unusual material.
The resin-impregnated wood panels used to create the patchwork cladding on the stair core were donated by North Shore Sheet Metal. The material was left over from a project completed on the Microsoft Campus.
Four exterior walls have road signs as a finish. These road signs are salvaged from the King County Maintenance Yard.
The fan belts used in the wall-art in the Boardroom were donated by Valley Medical Center in Renton. The fan belts were surplus material at the hospital.
A recent addition to the building, this city-scape mural can be found in our Assembly Room. The mural adds color and depth to this room adjacent to our lobby. Tony Taj is an active Seattle artist who also co-invented the Boogio smart shoe technology.

WHY CHOOSE THE bCLS FOR YOUR EVENT?

  • Rental Rates are affordable
  • Lots of flexible space
  • Multipurpose Room that opens up to the park
  • 40 acres of a beautiful park setting
  • Silver LEED Certified
  • 100,000 worth of re-used materials throughout the facility
  • Lots of parking available for guests
  • Owned and Operated by Technology Access Foundation
  • Located less than 15 minutes from SeaTac Airport and 20 minutes from Downtown Seattle

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contact us

206.725.9095
BCLSRentals@techaccess.org