Polson Boys and Girls Club building project remains on schedule for September completion
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POLSON – Once the new clubhouse is complete, the Boys and Girls Club of Lake County and the Flathead Reservation will be able to serve more than 200 children at their new facility, up from 40, the capacity of their current Polson site.
The new clubhouse, being built across the street from the Polson Middle School on the corner of 17th Avenue W and 2nd Street W, is on schedule according to Boys and Girls Club Executive Director Aric Cooksley.
“The construction is coming along really well,” said Cooksley. “The good weather has allowed the project to stay on track.”
The near yearlong construction project that began with a groundbreaking ceremony back in early Sept. should be completed by the end of August if progress continues to go smoothly. Cooksley noted the club is hoping to take occupancy just in time for the beginning of the new school year next fall.
The new facility will include a youth center for children in grades one to six, a teen center for grades seven to 12, an art center, a music room, a commercial-style kitchen, a gymnasium, as well as outdoor play spaces and a garden.
The new clubhouse will also provide much needed multipurpose spaces for other community events.
The Boys and Girls Club has been providing programs and activities in the limited space of St. Andrew Episcopal Church and Cherry Valley Elementary School in Polson. Opening a club in Polson that could serve additional children all under one roof has been a longstanding goal for the organization.
“To see this project we have dreamt about come together is both exciting and terrifying,” said Cooksley.
Boys and Girls Club officials have pursued the goal of building a new clubhouse in Polson for the past five years and have raised more than $4.8 million of the $5.15 million required to finish the project. Funds have come from a mix of private donations and corporate sponsorships.
Cooksley noted that while construction is progressing well, “We still need to raise the remaining funds, and we’re always looking for those who can help with that.”
Recently, local branches of Glacier Bank aided in the construction efforts by donating $10,000 to the Boys and Girls Club.
“Glacier Bank has been such a valuable partner over the years in continuing the construction efforts,” said Cooksley.
For those interested in the building project, volunteering or making financial donations, contact the Boys and Girls Club at 406-676-5437 or visit online at: www.flatheadbgc.org.
Cooksley said the Boys and Girls Club plans to host a ribbon cutting ceremony this fall to celebrate the building’s completion.
