‘New opportunities;’ Boys and Girls Club aims to remodel, upgrade West Dayton facility
Big renovations are coming to the Boys and Girls Club of Dayton as they work to secure over a million dollars in congressional funding.
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A new congressional bill includes $1.4 million allocated for the Boys and Girls Club West Dayton Community Recreation and Space Sharing Project.
If the bill becomes law, the funds will be used to remodel and upgrade the club’s West Stewart Street facility.
News Center 7′s Malik Patterson spoke with a local teen about what this funding would do for not only him but all the other club members.
“Going to make something new out of it. Turning it into something we all can use, new opportunities,” Boys and Girls Club Youth Ambassador JaMychael Johnson said.
Boys and Girls Club leaders plan to replace the old, out-of-service community pool with a new technology center.
“Turn that into our youth workforce development space. Teens will be able to work and earn college credits, they’ll also be able to earn certifications in trades,” Boys and Girls Club of Dayton President and CEO Crystal Allen said.
Johnson said he wants to see real change on the west side of Dayton, and he believes these renovations could make a difference.
“No violence or anything, no guns just peacefulness,” Johnson said.
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Congressman Mike Turner (OH-10) said this $1.4 million congressional grant will help bring forth more youth engagement.
“I know the importance of their programming, having been an after-school student who went to the Boys & Girls Club in East Dayton when they had a facility there. I know that their programming can make a direct impact on people’s lives, and I want to thank them...This is an incredibly important facility,” Turner said.
Dayton resident Tom Stasio is happy to see changes happening in his city.
“I think it’ll bring some jobs, at least as far as construction goes. Plus better opportunities for kids to learn something different, something other than your basics,” Stasio said.
Johnson frequently tells the younger members of the Boys and Girls Club to “just keep pushing yourself until you reach your goal and until you reach your limit.”
The leaders behind this project will start the planning process in the Spring of 2024.
“We see this opportunity as a time for our children to come together and not just learn technical skills but life skills; to be mentored, to be encouraged in a center that is not just a building but a pathway to the future,” Chair of the Boys & Girls Club of Dayton’s Board of Directors Karen Townsend said.
