Provo marked a big milestone Friday with the ribbon-cutting for the Kent B. Nelson Clubhouse, a new Boys & Girls Clubs facility that leaders say will ramp up services for local children and families. The 20,000-square-foot building at 131 N. Olympic Blvd. replaces an aging Provo clubhouse that had served the community for more than 50 years. City and club officials say the new center will pull programs together in one place and reach far more youth across Utah County.
What the clubhouse will offer
The clubhouse includes preschool classrooms and expanded after-school, summer and STEM programming, along with internet safety classes, mental-health support, nutrition initiatives and housing assistance for families experiencing homelessness, as outlined by Boys & Girls Clubs of Utah County. The organization's project page notes that the updated layout is meant to bring services that were previously spread across multiple sites under one roof in an effort to reduce gaps in care and access. Staff will also use the space for training and to coordinate volunteer and AmeriCorps-driven STEM activities.
"This new clubhouse is more than a building," Boys & Girls Clubs CEO David Bayles said, emphasizing the organization's focus on pulling programs together, according to KSL. That article reported the $6 million, 20,000-square-foot facility at 131 N. Olympic Blvd. and described leaders' hopes that the site will serve as a regional hub for youth services. Community members at the ribbon-cutting included family members of the late Utah County commissioner Tom Sakievich, who had supported the project, the article added.
Why the city pushed for a new building
Officials said the old Provo clubhouse, long a neighborhood fixture, had outlived its usefulness and needed upgrades to meet modern safety and program standards. As earlier reporting by the Daily Herald described, community members were invited last year to say farewell to the previous site at 1060 E. 150 North before plans moved forward to rebuild or relocate. Leaders argued that a larger, updated building would make room for preschool slots and a teen center while bringing previously off-site services in-house.
Funding and community reach
Local leaders say the project was funded through a mix of private donors and public support, and Utah County officials joined the project's groundbreaking in 2024, according to a county news release. The Boys & Girls Clubs' 2025 annual report lists total membership near 14,985 and frames the new clubhouse as part of a broader strategy to serve thousands of area youth. The report also credits longtime supporter Kent Nelson, whose name now appears on the building. Club materials highlight metrics such as meals served and STEM hours to show the organization's scale and community impact.
Because Friday's event took place while many club members were in school, leaders said another celebration for kids and families is planned toward the end of the month, according to KSL. "The Boys & Girls Club is for every kid out there," Bayles said, adding that the center will provide parents with a dependable place for childcare and enrichment as programs ramp up this summer. Officials say they expect the clubhouse to become a highly visible part of downtown life as after-school and summer programming gets underway.
