'A fresh, new start.' New Massillon Boys & Girls Club building gets rave reviews
MASSILLON – The new Boys & Girls Club of Massillon building on the city's southwest side is "like a fresh, new start" and second home, according to Breawna Brinager.
The 14-year-old said the venue provides a positive opportunity every day to visit with friends, network and learn.
Breaking ground: What you need to know about the new Massillon Boys & Girls Club building
"I really like it. It's a fun place for us and an environment outside of school to be ourselves," said Breawna, a seventh grader at Massillon Junior High School who's been a club member for a year.
The new Boys and Girls Club facility has been open at its new venue, 730 Duncan St. SW, since January. Kids often make their way off school buses in the afternoon and file their way into the facility.
The center serves about 1,000 area youths ranging from age 6 to 18, helping them to achieve academic success, build character and live healthy through mentorship programs.
"We're very proud and very happy here," said Alex Williamson, assistant director of the Boys & Girls Club, about the new building, where construction began in July 2022.
Moving forward, Williamson said, the club is looking to add up to six new administrative or developmental professional positions.
"We're going to need some more help at a certain point," Williamson said.
The center presently has 35 full-time or part-time employees.
About the new Boys & Girls Club of Massillon facility
Massillon club leaders said the $9.5 million project would not have been possible without a number of financial contributors, including the Paul & Carol David Foundation, which funded about three-fourths of the construction effort.
The new building is approximately 29,400 square feet, increasing overall spacing by about 25% compared to the old facility, which came is around 24,000 square feet. Moody Nolan Architects designed the facility, while the project's general contractor was Perry Township-based Beaver Constructors.
The center was constructed on the south parking lot area along Duncan Street SW, next door to the old building that is to be demolished starting in mid-March, Williamson said.
"The plan is to get that (building) down and eventually add new parking," he said.
The two-story facility has two multi-purpose rooms, a double gymnasium with basketball courts and increased capacity for each room to accommodate more kids. A state-of-the-art kitchen serves the members in a larger dining space.
The new club also features a "Reeding" Room sponsored by NFL Hall of Famer Andre Reed. It houses a daily after-school "Power Hour" Homework Help program, as well as provide a place for daily math and reading classes, along with open time for individual leisure reading.
"It's exciting to have a new place and bigger space in our classrooms," Williamson said.
Reach Steven at steven.grazier@indeonline.com. On Twitter: @sgrazierINDE
This article originally appeared on The Independent: New Boys & Girls Club of Massillon building opens on Duncan Street SW
