The Concord Boys and Girls Club has been a staple in town for just about 70 years now. For the past 25 years, the club has made its home in a brick building on Bradley Street, a location in which a generation of Concord kids grew up playing. Soon enough, though, that building will be razed and replaced with a brand-new facility. Executive Director Chris Emond told us it’s about time.
“It’s funny for some people,” Emond said, “because to them, this is the new building. ‘Why are you building a new one?’ ”
The reality of the situation, however, is that the building is 25 years old and stuffed to the gills daily with a growing number of children. Emond told us the club sees about 40 more kids every day than it did just two years ago. With the increase in attendance, an out-of-control shortage of parking spaces and a building showing the natural signs of decay, Emond knew the club had to consider some new options. Ultimately, the club board decided to demolish the old building and rebuild on the same 55 Bradley St. location.
“To get land like this anywhere else in the city and build a new building, you’re looking at $10 million,” Emond said, “and we’re not going to raise $10 million.”
The new building comes with a more conservative price tag of $3.7 million, which will cover things like a 65-car parking lot, a dedicated entryway and program space for the club’s teenage attendees, expanded kitchen space, art rooms and more. All this will go a long way toward keeping Concord’s kids busy, off the streets and creating lasting memories.
The club will move out of its current location and into a temporary home at the former Eastman School on April 12. Groundbreaking for the new facility takes place in April, and Emond told us he hopes to be on Bradley Street by fall.
Topher Bishop started attending the Boys and Girls Club when he was about 7 years old. Now 22, Bishop is a club counselor with nothing but fond memories of his time on Bradley Street. He classified himself as an “indoorsy kid” until he discovered the joy of sport in the daily flag football games at the club. Bishop told us he is looking forward to the new building.
“I remember when the side rooms were built,” Bishop said, “when the computer lab and teen center went in, but this is easily the biggest change we’ve ever seen.”
Perhaps predictably, current club kids are abuzz with excitement and speculation about the new facility.
“The gym’s going to be twice the size!” 10-year-old Jacob Kenneally, a four-year club vet, told us (before letting it slip that he “really wanted to see” the building being demolished with a wrecking ball).
Nine-year-old Jordyn Lengle told us she was looking forward to a bigger building.
“In some rooms, it gets a little noisy because it’s not big enough,” Lengle said. “Maybe it could get more fun because there will be more room.”
Nine-year-old Jocelyn Lemieux said she would keep coming to the club, regardless of what the facility was like.
“I have nothing to do at home and it’s boring there,” Lemieux said. “I like this place because it’s comfortable here and I love having fun!”
That sentiment seemed to ring out from everyone we talked to about the club. Sure, the facility is in need of an upgrade, and that is happening, but it all comes down to kids and counselors having fun. For as long as Bishop can remember, that’s been what the club is all about.
“The club has basically been my second home,” Bishop said. “It was the first place where I really felt like I belonged. A large part of that is the staff that’s been here. It’s been pretty consistent over the years; some parts have changed but the major players have stayed the same. It’s going to be nice to have a facility that matches their level of dedication.”
Emond told us the dedicated staff is what makes the whole thing work.
“The main focus for us, our mission, is improving kids’ lives,” Emond said. “It’s not just that friendly face that they see, it’s who they have that tough discussion with – what’s going on at home or at school.”
“Come back in 25 years and people aren’t going to say ‘That building was awesome!’ They will remember the people.”
