Plans unveiled for new Boys & Girls Club in LaPorte County
Subscriber Benefit
As a subscriber you can listen to articles at work, in the car, or while you work out. Subscribe Now
The Boys & Girls Clubs of LaPorte County is planning to construct a new, much larger facility to meet higher demand. Our partners at The Times of Northwest Indiana report the new building will have room for nearly twice the number of children the organization can now serve in Michigan City.
The “Y” currently operates in the library at the former Elston High School, which limits the organization’s ability to add more members.
“It’s a tight fit,” said LaPorte County Boys & Girls Clubs Executive Director Michelle Shirk, who adds membership grew because of the pandemic. Shirk said demand skyrocketed when schools were closed and parents needed a safe place for their children to be while they were at work.
Last month, the Michigan City Board of Zoning Appeals voted in support of the group’s request for a zoning variance. The publication says local zoning rules stipulate a variance when any community center wants to locate in residential areas.
The planned 35,000-square-foot facility will be near Coolspring Avenue and Jackson Street. It will be constructed on three vacant lots measuring close to 12 acres near the former YMCA building.
Shirk says the new facility will include additional classrooms, cafeteria, gymnasium and a dedicated STEM lab.
Click here to access the article from The Times of Northwest Indiana.