BF Community Center seeks additional facility
The Blackfoot Community Center met with City Council members late Tuesday to discuss a new facility. The facility would be an addition to the two existing buildings.
Center Executive Director Ashlee Howell said the nonprofit has been working for seven years to provide youth enrichment and summer programs for the community.
“We’ve been very successful meeting that need in the community for youth programming. There isn’t a YMCA, Boys and Girls Club or anything like that,” she said.
In the past the center has been able to provide for lower income families that couldn’t otherwise afford summer programs. But a grant from the Department of Education, one of three grants given to the center, will cycle out soon and the other two sooner than later.
“If we can’t sustain what we’re doing than we can’t serve anyone,” said Howell.
Without grant money, the center is looking to city officials to help facilitate a new building.
“We’ll be able to provide more resources to the community and be able to serve the lower income population, but also maintain high quality services,” she said.
Costs for a new facility and locations for a new one have not yet been determined. City Council members will continue the discussion at the next council meeting in July.
