Boys & Girls Club in Lynchburg looking to open new gymnasium

Officials want to use gym to attract teenagers in the community

LYNCHBURG Va. – The Boys & Girls Club in Lynchburg want to give youth in the hill city another outlet for fun and activity.

They believe a new gymnasium could be the answer. Kids at the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lynchburg are limited on space when it comes to physical activities.

“A lot of people I talked to say that the club is getting boring because they can't do a lot of stuff anymore,” said Elajha Davis, a member of the club.

On average, the club hosts more than 140 kids a day. In a small room, the staff uses a curtain to separate the game room from a makeshift basketball court.

"Having an inside gym will really improve that because nobody will sit at the games all day like we do now,” Elajha said.

Right now, a dumpster just sits in the abandoned building being eyed by the club. Officials want to turn the 4,500-square-foot facility into a multipurpose gym.

“For the gym area itself, (the cost is) about $250,000; with staffing, it will be $850,000 (and) the board has raised a good amount of that. But we are looking for support for the community to help us operate the organization and also to finish renovating the gym area,” said Mark Sheehan, the executive director of Girls & Boys Club of Greater Lynchburg.

There are high hopes of using the donated facility to host other annual events. The major bonus here would be attracting Lynchburg teens.

“We have to bring the young people in and make it exciting for them to come. So we can get them around the right people and hopefully change their life,” Sheehan said. 

Leaders say a new gym will do just that.

Staff and board members of the club plan to meet next week to discuss site work plans.