New Boys and Girls Club clubhouse coming to Ottawa

The Boys and Girls Club in Ottawa is getting a funding boost from the Canadian and provincial governments — a boost the governments say will help support families, businesses and communities.

A Friday announcement from Canada’s governments confirmed that $5 million will be given for new clubhouse in the city — $4 million from the Government of Canada, and $1 million from the Government of Ontario.

The new clubhouse will serve as a youth services and community interest facility, the announcement details.

“The new construction will result in energy efficiencies and cost savings as well as better, high-quality air exchange on the premises,” the federal government says. “This clubhouse will serve one of Ottawa’s most at-risk communities, Ottawa South and will increase building capacity by allowing more space for social distancing and other COVID-19 precautions.”

The clubhouse will also offer better protection against COVID-19 and other viruses by including isolation rooms with direct access to outdoor space to avoid exposure, eight single stall gender inclusive bathrooms additional hand washing stations, built-in separation for large spaces like the gym, multiple entrances and exit points and two separate pitches for cohort and community use.