About 150 people gathered on Sept. 5 to celebrate the opening of North Bend’s new City Hall with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

The event featured cupcakes, light refreshments, music and tours of the facility.

Short speeches were given by Mayor Ken Hearing and King County Councilmember Kathy Lambert.

“Thank you for being here,” Lambert said. “It’s not a surprise to me that this turnout came out today, because that’s what this community is about. We care about one another, and we help one another, and we celebrate together, and that’s really important. This was a vision of lots of people.”

Snoqualmie Indian Tribe Chairman Bob de los Angeles presented a gift of a Pendleton blanket and a plaque to be displayed in the building.

In front of a picturesque backdrop of the Cascade foothills, the tall, gray, wooden building officially opened to the public on July 30 after more than 25 years of planning.

The 14,000-square-foot building, located at 920 E. Cedar Falls in the geographic center of town, features new council chambers with updated audio and video equipment, large conference and lobby spaces, access to Tanner Trail, city departments and administrative offices, and services for city businesses.

Hearing said the total cost of the project was about $7.7 million.