From Walton Sun:
The Boys and Girls Club has moved one step closer to opening its doors in South Walton. After six years of delays and legal wrangling, a new site for the club has been selected behind the Coastal Library Branch off U.S. Highway 331.
Some of the club?s facilities include a swimming pool, outdoor basketball courts, three soccer fields, a weight and aerobics room, a mini day care center, conference room and kitchen.
?We hope to provide some level of programming from early childhood to later in life,? Bear Henley, president and chief professional officer of the Boys and Girls Club of the Emerald Coast, said.
The money to purchase the 30 acres of land came from the sell of land originally designated for the club on West CR 30A near Butler Elementary. That land was donated by the Pennington Foundation out of Baton Rogue, La., Henley said.
?We thought we had a good location (off of CR 30A), but we really feel we?ve got a better one now,? Henley said. ?It is a real win?win situation.?
With the library and high school already there and OWC coming in the future, Henley feels the opportunities for people to use the club are perfect.
To bring in students from the high school the club will offer a Teen Center.
?The Teen Center will be a place for them to hang out and meet up and be active,? Henley said. ?We?ll offer sports programs, life skills training and tutoring and homework help.?
The 72,000 square foot facility will cost around $12.5 million. It was originally supposed to cost $8 million. Henley cited a 25 percent rise in construction costs for the additional cost. The club is expected to open in two years, Henley said. The process could take longer because a major portion of the land the club will be built on is wetlands. The club will have to go through the Department of Environmental Protection permitting process before construction can start.
The Boys and Girls Club has moved one step closer to opening its doors in South Walton. After six years of delays and legal wrangling, a new site for the club has been selected behind the Coastal Library Branch off U.S. Highway 331.
Some of the club?s facilities include a swimming pool, outdoor basketball courts, three soccer fields, a weight and aerobics room, a mini day care center, conference room and kitchen.
?We hope to provide some level of programming from early childhood to later in life,? Bear Henley, president and chief professional officer of the Boys and Girls Club of the Emerald Coast, said.
The money to purchase the 30 acres of land came from the sell of land originally designated for the club on West CR 30A near Butler Elementary. That land was donated by the Pennington Foundation out of Baton Rogue, La., Henley said.
?We thought we had a good location (off of CR 30A), but we really feel we?ve got a better one now,? Henley said. ?It is a real win?win situation.?
With the library and high school already there and OWC coming in the future, Henley feels the opportunities for people to use the club are perfect.
To bring in students from the high school the club will offer a Teen Center.
?The Teen Center will be a place for them to hang out and meet up and be active,? Henley said. ?We?ll offer sports programs, life skills training and tutoring and homework help.?
The 72,000 square foot facility will cost around $12.5 million. It was originally supposed to cost $8 million. Henley cited a 25 percent rise in construction costs for the additional cost. The club is expected to open in two years, Henley said. The process could take longer because a major portion of the land the club will be built on is wetlands. The club will have to go through the Department of Environmental Protection permitting process before construction can start.