Lewisville officials are donating a former fire station located at 195 W. Corporate Drive to serve as the headquarters for the new club, according to a July 21 news release.
“I am grateful to the city of Lewisville and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County for their efforts in bringing this project to fruition,” said Bobbie J. Mitchell, Denton County Precinct 3 commissioner, in the news release. “Creating a full-service club for boys and girls in Denton County will serve an important need, particularly at the location on Corporate Drive.”
The specifics
Lewisville City Manager Claire Powell said the 8,000-square-foot building is an ideal location for the club since it is located near several schools and large housing developments.
Additionally, the former fire station contains a fenced area, a green space for a playground, and space to accommodate a 5,000-square-foot building expansion and a gym for athletic and recreational activities.
Per the news release, the new Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County branch will offer educational resources for Denton County children ages 6-18 such as:
- Low-cost after-school and summer programming
- Workforce development
- Life-skill building
A 2021 Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County Growth Task Force study found that Denton County had the greatest need for youth development services of any neighboring community with 5.9% of Denton County youth living at or below the federal poverty level.
To support the new Boys & Girls Club growth through 2026, Denton County has pledged $3 million, which would come from funding received through the American Rescue Plan Act. Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County CEO and president Daphne Barlow Stigliano said the expenses for the project are predicted to total $4 million-$5 million. She also said the new facility could allow Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Tarrant County to serve over 6,000 youth per year by 2026.
“We recognize the tremendous need in Denton County and have been serving youth through mobile and school-based services for two years," Barlow Stigliano said in the news release. “This generous donation will allow us to put down long-term roots and deepen our impact so that we can create meaningful change for the young people in that community.”
What’s next?
City officials are finalizing legal documents to complete the property transfer, which is set to close later this summer in order to prepare the property for its planned future use.
