The South Queens Boys & Girls Club will soon have new amenities – and expanded services for the community.
On Thursday, April 7, club members, politicians and community leaders helped break ground on a multi-million dollar rehabilitation of the building, erected in 1926, that will include a new regulation-size gym, classroom space, new education and technology center, dance and music rooms. The club will also serve as a community center to offer services to new immigrants in the community.
The South Queens Boys & Girls Club raised $8.64 million dollars in capital funding from state and city elected officials, as well as the Port Authority of NY & NJ, for the project.
The 25,500-square-foot building – which has no air conditioning and is not handicap accessible – will be redone in two phases.
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.
“This is very historical for us,” said Carol Simon, SQBGC executive director.
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.”
Over 100 people were in attendance at the event, including Borough President Helen Marshall, State Senators Joseph Addabbo and Shirley Huntley, Assemblymembers Rory Lancman and Michael Miller, City Councilmembers Leroy Cormie, Karen Koslowitz, Eric Ulrich and Ruben Wills, as well as the Executive Director of the Port Authority of NY & NJ, Chris Ward.
“I cannot stress enough the importance of the Boys & Girls Club,” said Marshall. “As these, together with educational enrichment opportunities have long been a passion of mine . . . you can count on my continued support to help your agency enrich the lives of our borough’s future leaders.”
The South Queens Boys & Girls Club is located at 110-04 Atlantic Avenue in Richmond Hill. If you’d like to learn more about the club, open from 3 to 9 p.m. weekdays, call 718-441-6050, Ext 202 or visit www.sqbgc.net.
