Mayor Domenic J. Sarno, Chief Development Officer Tim Sheehan, Community Development Senior Project Manager Lori Santaniello, and State Representative Brian Ashe joined with Executive Director for Springfield Boys & Girls Club, Inc. Vincent Borello, Chairman of the Board of Directors Matthew Perry and team on Wednesday for an open house and tour of the Boys and Girls Club on Carew Street. The open house event showcased the developments the club has implemented as part of the $1.5 million American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding they received from the City of Springfield.
ARPA funding allowed the Boys and Girls Club to enhance their capital projects, including improvements to their pool and locker rooms with new pumps, piping, HVAC upgrades, hydration stations, additional sinks and bathrooms, upgraded shower and laundry facilities, new swim safety equipment, and a new field and playground for all sports with two multi-purpose fields that transformed a 6-acre parcel into a vibrant outdoor space.
The city ARPA grant also provided for the club’s new WAVE Swimmer Safety System, innovative real-time tracking technology system that uses lightweight wearables to determine if any swimmer is at risk of drowning. If the device is underwater for a period of time, the connected bracelet will vibrate on the lifeguard and an alarm will sound.
Mayor Sarno states, “Nonprofits such as the Springfield Boys and Girls Club play a vital and important role in our community, offering a wide range of programs for our residents, especially our youth. I want to thank Executive Director Vinny Borello, the SBGC Board and his team for their efforts supporting our community and continuing to innovate and enhance their services. The Springfield Boys and Girls Club serves thousands of our young people and has a strong group of alumni who understand the impact the club had on their upbringing and continue to give back to ensure this club and programming are available for our youth. My administration is proud to support the Boys and Girls Club and award them $1.5 million of ARPA funding to redevelop and enhance the quality of programs and services offered for our youth. I deeply appreciate our ARPA team including CDO Tim Sheehan, Deputy Tina Quagliato Sullivan, and Senior Project Manager Lori Santaniello for their efforts to help our community not only survive through COVID-19, but now thrive. Thank you again to Director Borello and staff over at the Boys and Girls Club and all who support them for your continued positive impact.”
