Robert James Evans IV performs a kickflip Thursday in the new skatepark at the Main Unit for the Boys & Girls Club of Harlingen. (Denise Cathey/The Brownsville Herald)
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HARLINGEN — A skater sweeps up a half pipe, hovers in mid-air for just a second of sweet glory, then lands with a skillful thud.
“Thump-thump-thump!” The thunderous boom of a basketball echoes amid whistles and cheers as a player moves swiftly across the covered court.
And inside the Main Unit of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Harlingen, kids of all ages have more room than ever before, thanks to a $1.367 million building project that has finally been completed.
The Boys and Girls Clubs of Harlingen Gymnasium/Renovations Project, funded by the Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation and the Cameron County Commissioners Court, includes a covered sports court on the west side of the Main and a rebuilt skatepark. There’s also a brand new third indoor gym to complement the other two.
The third gym was needed to accommodate the large number of sports activities which take place at the Main, said Gerald Gathright, executive director of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Harlingen.
“We have a winter basketball program,” Gathright said. “This year it had 95 teams in it. We’re just finishing up a spring sports program which had 75 teams in it. And then we’ll have a fall sports league that will have probably 75 teams in it. So it’s going to be year round. Every summer we have a tremendous amount of young people that are at the club all day long for all kinds of activities including sports.”
Numerous businesses and entities contributed to the project, too many to list here. But they donated their expertise as architects, as electricians, as plumbers and numerous other skills to install new air conditioning, new gym floors and other vital improvements.
VBLF made the initial grant of $800,000 followed by an additional $50,000. Then late last year another donation of $333,333.33 was made from the Cameron County Commissioners Court. Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino said that last donation came from the American Rescue Plan Act.
“I join the Boys and Girls Clubs of Harlingen in excitement as we see great projects come to fruition, projects where even the future generations of children in our community will get to enjoy,” Trevino said.
Because of all the donations and contributions from so many interested parties, the Boys and Girls Clubs will not have to pay off any debts incurred by the project, Gathright said.
“The original gym that we have is pushing 50 years of age,” he said. “It served a lot of children, but it was time for upgrades and improvements and that’s kind of what all that accomplished. The Valley Baptist Legacy Foundation, their belief in us, their gift was the impetus that got this whole thing started. But we also want to mention the city of Harlingen for decades-long support and supporting this building project.”
Harlingen Mayor Chris Boswell said he was delighted by the improvements.
“I think it’s a fantastic addition and it’s hugely important so that the Boys and Girls Club can serve more youth in our community,” Boswell said. “They do such a great job, it’s not just sports activities, it’s the fact that they really build these kids character, keep them doing positive things, show that the community and the organization cares about them and it’s just a really special program that we have here in Harlingen with the Boys and Girls Club.”
