Boys & Girls Clubs preps for a new performing arts space at Fountain Valley branch
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Kids at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley will soon have a new space in which to practice honing their talents in the performing arts.
The organization held a groundbreaking for a new 6,000-square-foot expansion at the Kingston Branch in Fountain Valley, located at Mile Square Park, on June 25.
Once completed, the expansion will create a permanent home for the award-winning ClubHouse Academy Performing Arts programs. That means dedicated spaces for theater, dance, martial arts and gymnastics.
“Our performing arts programs have grown tremendously over the past few years,” Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley chief executive Art Groeneveld said in a statement. “Throughout that growth, our focus has remained the same: creating a space where children feel safe, feel cared for and grow into incredible leaders. This expansion allows us to continue building on that vision for generations to come.”
Community members, partners and elected officials gathered for the groundbreaking celebration, with speakers including Orange County Supervisor Janet Nguyen, Fountain Valley Vice Mayor Patrick Harper and Clubhouse Academy alumni Taran Silverthistle and Ruby Lau.
“For decades, the city of Fountain Valley has been proud to partner with Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley,” Harper said. “We recently renewed that commitment by extending the club’s lease at Mile Square Park for another 25 years, ensuring this partnership continues well into the 2060s.”
The ClubHouse Academy offers free and low-cost programs and scholarships, making the arts accessible to all who participate. It has been located at the former Fountain Valley Community Center next to City Hall, about a mile away from the Kingston Branch.
The Kingston Branch expansion is slated to include a tumbling and karate dojo, music and podcast studio, dance and ballet studios and more.
The project is considered a pivotal step in the organization’s Chasing Dreams Capital Campaign. While construction is underway, fundraising continues; more than $3.1 million of the $5.9 million needed to fully fund the project has been so far been raised.
Officials said Kingston Technology and the Mayer Family Foundation have made the largest gifts to date, each offering $500,000 toward the goal.
“Whenever we talk about the Boys & Girls Club, everyone in our family supports it,” Bob Mayer III, a Boys & Girls Clubs of Huntington Valley board member, said in a statement. “We’re happy to support, we’re honored to support it and we know that it’s a great cause. This expansion really is a need, and we’re happy to help wherever we can.”
