New Boys & Girls Club in Scottsdale breaks ground

By Cyrus Guccione
Mail

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Wednesday, May 14, for the new Boys & Girls Club being built at the Tonalea Middle School in Scottsdale after receiving a $2.5 million donation from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation to construct a brand-new gymnasium.

As the 10th clubhouse in the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Scottsdale (BGCS), the Steve & Maria Sanghi Branch will include a 13,000 sq. ft. gym as a shared-use facility for recreational activities, sports leagues and healthy lifestyle programming.

With construction underway, the Steve & Maria Sanghi Branch is set to open in the summer of 2026.

New gymnasium

The gym will be constructed where the Tonalea outdoor basketball courts are currently located and will support both youth and teen club members, ages five to 18.

The gymnasium will accompany a Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) Makerspace studio, tech lab, performing arts studio, art room, games room and a kitchen for culinary classes and a chance for students to get a hot meal every day.

“75% of the kids who currently attend Tonalea are on free and reduced lunch,” says Ivan Gilreath, president and CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Scottsdale. “ This club will extend their school day and allow them to get a hot meal every night, helping them do better in school and long term.”

Gilreath says the number one reason why students don’t attend out-of-school programs is because they don’t have transportation. With the new clubhouse soon to be built on Tonalea campus, students can walk to the clubhouse and BGCS will provide transportation for students from Hohokam, Yavapai and Pima Elementary Schools.

“It’s absolutely phenomenal, best-use case for the resources that we have in creating access to support enrichment, safety and hope for every child who walks through our doors,” said Dr. Scott Menzel, superintendent of Scottsdale Unified School District.

Teen clubhouse

Since Tonalea Middle School transitioned into a sixth-, seventh- and eighth-grade school in 2022, the new clubhouse will primarily be a “teen club,” but will still cater to youth club members, Gilreath said.

“You can’t have a teen club without a gymnasium,” he added. “In order for this to be a successful project, it was going to need a gymnasium to really round out the project.”

The $2.5 million donation from The Bob & Renee Parsons Foundation is part of the Revive. Thrive. Succeed. Capital Campaign, which has raised nearly $10 million of its $15 million goal for the new clubhouse.

Growing up as a “club kid” in Omaha, Neb., Gilreath says while every clubhouse offers the same structure and programming, this particular project is going to be transformative for the community.

“I grew up in the clubs decades ago but never did I go to a club like this. This is what I grew up with on steroids,” said Gilreath. “We’re really excited to be able to provide this level of opportunity for these kids and it’s going to make a big difference in them for the rest of their lives.”

For more information about the Revive. Thrive. Succeed. Capital Campaign and how to contribute, visit bgcs.org/thrive.

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