As heavy rains fell on Saturday, islander Kay White, clad in a long, blue rain poncho, sunk a shovel into a patch of turned-up dirt just outside the Blue Heron.

Dozens with their own shovels followed suit, ceremonially breaking ground on the $17.7 million performing arts center project that White, 94, put into motion seven years ago with a multi-million dollar pledge of support.

Vashon Allied Arts (VAA) expects to begin construction on the building, the Vashon Center for the Arts, in early November, as soon as county permits are secured. Contractors will then work through the winter, hoping to finish the building by next December, in time for VAA’s winter performances and in time for White — a longtime Vashon Island Chorale member — to be present for the chorale’s holiday concert.

“That’s why we’ve got to get started in November,” Reed said. “We really want to hold the chorale concert and other events like the Nutcracker there.”

Earlier in Saturday’s soggy groundbreaking ceremony, White — whose $10.5 million pledge will be used largely as an operating fund — was honored along with the other private donors, grantors and lawmakers who have helped put VAA within about $1 million of completing fundraising for the ambitious project.

Members of the chorale sang a song that director Gary Cannon wrote in honor of White — a tune that uses only the white keys of the piano. King County Councilmember Joe McDermott, who helped secure $1 million in state funding for the project when he was in the House of Representatives, spoke. And children participating in the upcoming production of “Annie Jr.” sang a rendition of “Tomorrow,” asking the audience to join in the final chorus by singing “It’s only a year away.”

Reed said VAA is confident that by the time the building is complete in about a year, the final funds needed for the project will have come in through additional private donations and grants. For instance, the organization is hoping to get additional grant funding from King County 4Culture in the next year.

“Most of these types of funders, they want to see that you’re almost there,” Reed said. “We’re in a good position.”

VAA recently completed a push to bring in $250,000 in matching funds to round out the $2.5 million public fundraising campaign it kicked off last fall. Construction costs have escalated since the project was fist mapped out, adding about $800,000 to the total project cost. Still, Reed said, VAA has less than $1 million left to raise.

Tim Roden, president of VAA’s board, added that the organization believes more islanders will reach into their pockets once they see construction begin next month at Center.

“Some people don’t give right away because they want to wait and see if it actually happens,” he said.

Standing in the main hall of the Blue Heron on Saturday, Roden noted that the room holds just about 70 people, and most of VAA’s events and performances there quickly sell out. The new building will have a 285-seat theater, as well as a 1,000-square-foot art gallery and a large lobby that will also serve as an event space. If will also house offices, a kitchen and dressing rooms that will double as classrooms.

“It will give us the opportunity to expand the programs we offer,” Roden said.

Once construction on the building begins, VAA officials say it will be business as usual at the Blue Heron, save for some loud construction noise during the week. Work will wrap up each day by mid-afternoon, Reed said, so they hope afternoon classes won’t be impacted by the noise. And the Tuesday morning art history talks have been moved to a quieter location.

“I don’t care,” Reed said of the construction noise, noting that she plans to bring noise-canceling headphones to work with her. “We’ve worked so hard for this. Bring it on is my attitude.”

Parking will also be a challenge, Reed noted, as the gravel parking lots to the north and south of the Blue Heron will be used during construction. Many people will have to park on the streets for events, and VAA is looking into whether it can use the gravel lot by the Seattle Distilling Company for additional parking. It is also still working out where children will be dropped off for classes.

“We have details to figure out, but we will,” Reed said. “It will be an inconvenience for a year, but then it will be done.”

Project manager Kirk Robinson said the building’s contractor, Seattle-based Sellen Construction, has already been instructed not to park its vehicles in places needed by the public at Center. He also expects the construction will cause minimal traffic disruption.

“We’re going to do our very best,” he said. “If we start to see a problem, we will address it. We want the project to work well with the island.”

Once VAA has permits in hand, one of the first orders of business will be to tear down the historic McFeed’s building, which lately has been covered with drawings meant to maintain the public’s interest in the project.

Roden noted that while the recent construction of the new Vashon High School was largely hidden from the public’s eye, anyone who drives through Center in the coming year will be able to see the arts center take shape.

“People will be able to see the progress,” he said. “This is very much a more visible project.”