City of Tonawanda – New York State Assemblyman Bill Conrad today, Aug. 16, 2023, announced $135,000 in state funding he secured recently for Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns.

Of that total, a $125,000 Dormitory Authority of the State of New York (DASNY) State and Municipal Facilities Program grant will be put toward construction of a sports court at the nonprofit’s Newman Family Club on Franklin Street in the City of Tonawanda.

The covered outdoor space will increase the functionality of the grassy area that’s adjacent to the Newman Club. This club, in the afterschool hours from September through May, annually serves more than 900 children ages 6-18.

The court will be a multipurpose one, offering a site for sports like basketball, floor hockey, four square, pickleball and more. The addition will also allow the club to enhance the assortment and versatility of its programming, especially for its older children and teens. An existing playground structure will remain nearby on the grounds of the club.

The cost of the project installation, with sitework and materials, is expected to total around $1.3 million. Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns has secured $955,000 of that amount, thanks to state and county funds. The organization expects to cover the rest with federal and corporate support.

Completion of the sports court is slated for late this summer, with a ribbon-cutting planned for mid- September.

Just last week, Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie visited Conrad in district, where they toured Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns’ Camp Spirit, a summer day camp in North Tonawanda. Heastie then committed $1 million to the organization, including $500,000 to support its after-school programs at its clubs in North Tonawanda and Sheridan-Parkside, and $500,000 for capital improvements to its Newman Family and Town clubs.

In addition, Conrad secured $10,000 last year to assist in maintaining Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns’ education and recreation programming, specifically the summer and school year activities at its Sheridan Parkside Club. Those activities included a six-week day camp last summer, which thanks to this funding was offered to families free of charge. (In 2021, Conrad secured a $20,000 state grant to help establish the Sheridan Parkside Club at the Town of Tonawanda’s Sheridan Youth Center.)

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns includes seven clubs and summer camps serving more than 3,000 youngsters across the Twin Cities, the Town of Tonawanda and the City of Buffalo. It is part of the Boys & Girls Clubs Collaborative of Western New York, for which the 2023-2024 state budget committed $150,000 in support of mental health programming. The collaborative serves 17,000 children from Rochester to Jamestown and up to Niagara Falls.

Assemblyman Bill Conrad said, “Our children, adolescents and teens depend on us, the adults in this community, to mentor them, to nourish their bodies and minds, and to provide them safe places for learning, play and social-emotional development. All of this is happening every day at Boys & Girls Clubs across the country. The staff at Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns are tireless in their mission to meet the many complex, ever-evolving needs of our kids, and I’m always eager to help them fulfill that mission, most recently with this funding for the Newman Club sports court and for programming.

“When a community props up its youth, shepherding them toward adulthood with loving care, the rewards can’t be measured. I am always meeting people in the 140^th whose most joyful childhood memories were made in a Boys & Girls Club. They attribute their success and wellness in adulthood to their time with the organization – and many returned to volunteer or work there. That alone speaks volumes.”

Boys & Girls Clubs of the Northtowns CEO Bob O’Brocta said, “We value the support that Assemblyman Conrad has given us during his time in office. He is a regular visitor to our clubs and camps and realizes the importance of our ability to run quality recreation and educational programs during the summer months and after 3 p.m. during the school year. He has given us the tools to not only upgrade our facilities, but to train and hire staff with the skill sets to give all of our members the optimal club experience.

“With Assemblyman Conrad’s background in coaching and education, we are very grateful that he believes in our mission and knows we are making a positive difference in the lives of area youth throughout Western New York.”