Next year will be a big year for the South Queens Boys & Girls Club (SQBGC).
Not only will they be breaking ground on a multi-million dollar rehabilitation of their building, at 110-04 Atlantic Avenue in Richmond Hill, but they will also be rolling out new programs for teens.
“We got very generous funding from Borough President Helen Marshall, Senator Joseph Addabbo and the City Council, among others,” said Carol Simon, SQBGC executive director.
With pledges totaling $8 million, Simon explained to The Courier that the club still needs $1 million to reach the total cost of the project.
“The service the South Queens Boys & Girls Club provides for many of my younger constituents is of the utmost value,” said Addabbo. “They are giving our youth something to do through education and socialization.”
Next spring, explained Simon, the 25,500-square-foot building – which has no air conditioning and is not handicap accessible — will be redone in two phases.
“We are in dire need of this,” said Simon.
Phase one will see the stand-alone wing, built in 1947, razed and rebuilt, in 15 to 18 months.
Phase two will be the renovation of the other wing, built in 1927.
When all is said and done, Simon said, the facility will have a full-size gym, a teen center, performing arts center and a martial arts and weight training room.
“And we’ll be able to have much-needed classroom and administrative space,” she said.
With the improved space, Simon explained, the club would like to increase the number of children it serves, currently 1,100 a year.
“There are about 7,000 teens in the immediate community, and now we’ll be offering new programs for them, including free SAT prep, a college-bound program and a fashion program.”
But one she is really excited about is a new robotics program, to be unveiled in January, that will be a “wonderful way to teach kids about science, technology and competition.”
Sponsored by JCPenney and the Port Authority of New York & New Jersey, Simon said they are also planning on “getting volunteers from engineering schools to work with us.”
“It is prudent for us as elected officials to restore the monies to our youth programs [as the economy improves],” said Addabbo. “We need to get this money back, and we will. It is money well invested.”
If you’d like to learn more about the South Queens Boys & Girls Club, open from 3 to 9 p.m. weekdays, call 718-441-6050, Ext 202 or visit www.sqbgc.net.
