Clubhouse for kids now open in Glendale

The Swift Kids Clubhouse, the newest branch of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metropolitan Phoenix, celebrated its grand opening Wednesday, becoming one of the largest facilities of its kind in Arizona.

The 25,000-square-foot Glendale facility is stacked with amenities, including a computer center, two basketball courts and a game room filled with pool and foosball tables and video game systems.

The facility also has a teen center where older kids can hang out.

The branch cost $4 million, with Jerry Moyes of Swift Transportation offering generous support, said Brad Kuluris, chief operations officer of the Boys & Girls Clubs. Two similar branches will open in Phoenix this winter.

The project will serve students from Harold W. Smith Elementary School and Glendale High as well as nearby kids.

Located on the Smith campus, the new branch was a long time coming and a marriage of the non-profit sector, Glendale schools and corporate donors, said Smith principal Rick Alvarez.

Donors include Coyote Charities, the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust and the Arizona Super Bowl Host Committee.

"We wanted a facility on this side of town because it was so underserved. Kids didn't have whole lot to do after school," Alvarez said. "This gives them one more option."

Lariana Lesniak, vice president of resource development, marketing and communications, said the club's previous downtown Glendale location wasn't accessible for many students.

"We wanted a safe place where kids can come to keep them off the street, where they can make positive choices," Lesniak said.

The elementary school uses the clubhouse during the day for gym classes, and with its modern amenities, teachers are reporting noticeable progress in students' physical abilities, Alvarez said.

"In a week, they are noticing an improvement. There's been a marked improvement in students' physical stamina," he said.

Michael Martin is a junior at Metro Tech in Phoenix but lives near the complex. He said he has a good time playing video games there.

"It's pretty awesome," Martin said. "It's a place you can go to avoid trouble."