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Boys & Girls Club Court Motion Seeks Eviction of First Path; This Would Shut Down Business, Day Care Rep Says

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Watertown Cable

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club has filed a motion in Federal Court seeking to evict the daycare center that has been located in its building on Whites Avenue for 26 years. Representatives of First Path Day Care Center said this would lead to the business closing and create a a crisis for its families and staff, while Boys & Girls Club representatives said they have plans for the space and have already given an extension after the lease expired. In a statement, First Path said that it has sought a new home for more than two years, and the eviction notice comes as construction on its new facility is nearly complete, said Max Bolyansyy, General Manager of the First Path Day Care Center. “The child care crisis being created by the Boys and Girls Club is completely avoidable, if they were truly interested in supporting the families and children we serve,” Bolyansyy said. “For more than a year we have been paying 50 percent more in rent to assure we were being good partners to the Boys & Girls Club.

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LETTER: First Path Day Care Center’s response to Boys & Girls Club Chairman Medville

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“WBGC has a choice to either work with First Path in a friendly manner to help it and its families through a difficult time or to continue to wave the stick of eviction over the heads of First Path’s families and staff that include infants, children with special needs, refugees from war in Ukraine and long-term day care teachers. We would like WBGC to remember the Golden Rule that we teach our children, “do unto others as you would have them do unto you”.”

As a local business, providing daycare services to the community of Watertown for more than 26 years, we were disappointed to read the recent Letter to the Editor from the Chair of the Watertown Boys and Girls Club (WBGC) {Boys & Girls Club Planning to Expand, Obstacle Hindering Its Efforts; July 26}. Our disappointment arises from Mr. Medville’s incorrect assertion that “now the only barrier to moving forward is First Path Daycare’s consistent failure to live up to their agreements.” In 2020, 3 years prior to its lease expiration First Path wrote to the Club in an e-mail “Our lease is expiring in 3 years. We need to plan ahead and would like to start discussing lease extension… 3 years might sound as a long time, but in reality it is short period relative to long term plans. ” Club’s reply; “Board President … will work … on developing a plan for lease negotiations.

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LETTER: Boys & Girls Club Planning to Expand, Obstacle Hindering Its Efforts

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The Watertown Boys and Girls Club is expanding, building a New Foundation

The Board of Directors, Executive Director Gary Beatty and staff of the Watertown Boys and Club are delighted to announce an expansion of the space we use in our building and our programming for the children and families of Watertown. 

We are building a new foundation for the growth of our Club in Watertown. New Foundations — the project name — is our more than $1.6 M project to completely renovate the ground floor of the building.  The result will be a beautiful space that will house a brand new licensed childcare program — the first of its kind at the WBGC and the only one in Watertown–to provide licensed after-school childcare for up to 85 children. This will enable us to help meet the growing need for quality after-school care for children in K-3 in Watertown. I am writing to share an update on our project.  In the past year we hired an architect, Bloom Architects, agreed on a design, developed drawings and bid documents, bid the job out and awarded the bid. We have signed a contract with Groom Construction. Groom was the low bidder (by over $100K) and have been very responsive and easy to work with. We are excited to be working with them. Construction is due to start in August and is expected to finish around the end of the year. We are ready to move ahead, but we can’t.  The barrier is First Path Daycare.

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Watertown Boys & Girls Club Announces 2024 Youth of the Year Winner

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The Watertown Boys & Girls Club’s Youth of the Year for 2024, Yazmin Ramirez Arias. (Courtesy Photo)

The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club held their Annual “Rising Stars” Youth of the Year Awards Celebration on Wednesday, March 6, 2024 in the Club’s gymnasium. Three highly qualified Club Member were nominated as a result of their service at the Club and further in the community. Yazmin Ramirez Arias was named the Watertown Boys & Girls Club “Youth of the Year.”

In this Leadership Development Program, Club Members nominated by Club Staff are prompted to write a “Club Experience” Essay that shares their achievements and why they personally believe they should be named “Youth of the Year.” They present this essay to local judges who collectively decide the top candidate. The top chosen candidate and Official “Youth of the Year” will represent The Watertown Boys & Girls Club and qualify for the next step to compete at the State Event for the title of Massachusetts Youth of the Year on May 7, 2024 at Gillette Stadium.

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Watertown Boys & Girls Club Opening Childcare Center, Launching Fundraising Campaign

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The following information was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

The Watertown Boys & Girls Club will soon unveil its plans to open the City’s first and largest licensed childcare center for school aged children. Opening in 2024, the childcare center will encompass an entirely renovated ground floor with more than 3,500 square feet of dedicated space to accommodate up to 80 children in grades K-3. Donations will be accepted through The “New Foundations” Campaign to raise funds for this project. In addition to providing licensed childcare for school-aged children, the new center will also offer access to the Club’s pool and athletic facilities as part of its programming. The expansion will create additional capacity to meet increasing demand on the main floor of the club for programs to support older children and teens.

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2023 Mugar Golf Tournament Registration is OPEN! Benefits Watertown Boys & Girls Club

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

The Stephen P. Mugar Memorial Golf Tournament to benefit Watertown Boys & Girls Club! Since its inaugural playing in 1978, the Watertown Boys & Girls Club annual golf tournament has been the cornerstone of the Club’s fundraising calendar. Hosted at beautiful Oakley Country Club in Watertown, MA this showcase event is recognized as one of the best of its kind in the Greater Boston area. As one of the original founding members of WBGC, Stephen P. Mugar was an avid supporter and keen participant during the tournament’s early years. After his passing in 1982, the event was re-named in recognition of Mr. Mugar’s years of dedication and service to the Watertown Boys & Girls Club.

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Watertown Boys and Girls Club Receives Grant from Barkamian Family Fund

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The following announcement was provided by the Watertown Boys & Girls Club:

Watertown Boys & Girls Club recently received a $15,000 grant from the Stephen H. Barkamian Family Fund of the Columbus Foundation. This grant will support programming that promotes character development, environmental stewardship, and a healthy lifestyle and will align with the Watertown Boys and Girls Club’s mission “to inspire and enable all young people, especially those that need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible and caring citizens.” Our sincerest thanks to all who donate to the Columbus Foundation.

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Boys & Girls Club Celebrates Rising Stars, 2023 Youth of the Year

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Ashley Leal is presented the 2023 Watertown Boys and Girls Club’s Youth of the Year award by Doug Orifice of the Watertown Business Coalition. The Watertown Boys & Girls Club celebrated the Rising Stars and presented the Youth of the Year Award during the third annual event on March 8. The Youth of Year Competition embodies Boys & Girls Clubs of American’s three priority outcome areas of academic success, good character, and citizenship, and living a healthy lifestyle. Being recognized YOY is the highest honor bestowed upon Club members. The Club sent out the following statement:

The nominees and judges of the 3rd Annual Watertown Boys & Girls Club Rising Stars Celebration and Youth of the Year Competition.