New Boys and Girls Club building coming along

The Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada could soon have enough money for its new building but is looking for more donations to finish the entire project.

A $100,000 donation by Locke Lesch of Carson City, plus matching funds on which his donation is contingent, would give the club enough to finish the new 12,600-foot club at Russell Way and Northridge Drive.

However, it would not be enough to finish the outdoor soccer fields, basketball court, picnic areas and play areas, which would cost around $60,000, according to Executive Director Hal Hansen.

"You have to have this outside stuff," Lesch said Thursday at the new club. "You can't have these kids playing in the dirt."

Lesch and his wife, Betty Ray Lesch, said they will match the funds the community raises up to $100,000.

"We believe in kids," Betty Ray Lesch said.

The club has about 1,600 children and teenagers as members and runs education, social and mentor programs through its South Stewart building, which it has outgrown.

The new $5 million building is scheduled to open in summer 2009.

Basic construction on the building is done, which will later house a game room, library, technology lab, kitchen, arts room and special area for middle and high school students.

The building and outdoor areas will be the first phase of the new club, Hansen said, but it also wants to build a separate teen center.

The club can't open its first building, however, until it reaches an agreement with the city that would allow the city to use the club and members of the club to use the new $9 million recreation center planned to be built beside the new club building.

City Parks and Recreation Director Roger Moellendorf said the agreement is "moving along pretty good" and it will get to the city supervisors for approval in December.

The city and the club had planned to have their buildings joined, but that violated city code and the city had to redesign its recreation center.

Hansen said the new club building will also require a few new employees because the club will be open until 8 p.m. for teens instead of 6:30 p.m. like it is now.

The club helps a lot of children and teens, he said, but people sometimes don't realize that those who come into the club are sometimes living in cars or motels.

"The community can kind of forget how much need there is here," Hansen said.

• Contact reporter Dave Frank at dfrank@nevadaappeal.com or 881-1212.

Quick Facts:

• The Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada has been working on its new $5 million building at Russell Way and Northridge Drive since 2005.

• The club is getting close to raising enough money so it can open in summer 2009.

This is a breakdown of how much is still needed:

• To finish the building: $15,000

• To furnish the building: $45,000

• To finish the athletic fields: $200,000

• The club is working on getting $200,000 in donations so it can finish most of the project, but would still need $60,000 after that.

• The club has outgrown the old 7,000-square-foot building since it started there 14 years ago. The new 12,600-square foot building will give them more space for games, sports, arts and learning.

The club also plans to have a joint-use agreement with the city so it can use the city's $9 million next door recreation center when it's built.