The Boys & Girls Clubs of Portland Metro is pulling out of North Portland’s Portsmouth neighborhood, announcing it will close the Regence Club and put the building up for sale. The nonprofit told families on July 11, 2026 that mounting financial strain and doubts about the site’s long-term future have forced its hand, with the Regence summer program set to wrap on Aug. 14, 2026. For New Columbia families who have leaned on the club for after-school and summer care, the news lands like a gut punch and has parents scrambling for backup plans.
In a letter to families signed by chief executive Terry Johnson and chief operating officer Megan Lewis, the organization said it had to weigh the site’s “long-term viability,” according to The Oregonian/OregonLive. The notice also invites families to a conversation at 6 p.m. Monday, July 13, where staff plan to take questions and hear concerns. Club officials did not respond to a request for comment on Saturday, the outlet reported.
Building listed for community use
The Regence facility at 4430 N. Trenton St. in Portsmouth is now on the market as a community center or school. A commercial property listing describes roughly 9,915 square feet and highlights classrooms, a gymnasium and a covered play area. The listing names Jones Lang LaSalle as the broker and omits an asking price, instead directing interested buyers to contact the broker through the property page. On the club’s own location page, the Regence Club at the Trenton address is described as the site that serves the New Columbia community.
What this means for families
North Portland parents were already watching their kid-friendly options dry up this year. Downtown PlayDate PDX closed in May, erasing a popular indoor play space for families who needed a quick, affordable outlet on rainy days, as reported in Portland parents lose their rainy day lifeline. At the same time, Portland Parks & Recreation's Parks Levy annual report documents revenue gaps and rising costs that have squeezed neighborhood programming, a financial crunch that can spill over to nonprofit partners. Taken together, fewer public resources and a tougher landscape for community facilities help explain why a nonprofit operator might judge a site like Regence as no longer sustainable.
Next steps and where to get updates
The Regence location is expected to stay open through the end of its scheduled summer program while the organization markets the property and considers long-term options. It is not yet clear whether another nonprofit, a school or the city might step in to keep after-school programming on site. Potential buyers are directed to the broker’s listing for more information, and families are encouraged to monitor the club’s website for details on the July 13 meeting and any supports the organization may offer. For coverage of the closure and the letter to families, see The Oregonian/OregonLive, and for property specifics consult the commercial property page.
