The city of Cottonwood has been hosting popular after-school programs at the city’s recreation center and it has been running out of room.
It’s no longer a problem.
As of this week, children will be attending the programs at the new Cottonwood Youth Center, formerly the Verde Valley Boys & Girls Club in Old Town. The club shuttered its doors last year due to finances. The building was owned by the city, which saw it as perfect for its needs.
Last Friday, city officials, staff, children and parents came out to see the new youth center for its official ribbon cutting.
Air hockey, table top shuffleboard and a pool table were some of the amenities in the center and the children wasted no time putting them to use. Books were donated by the Cottonwood Public Library.
The first official day for after-school programs at the center was Monday.
They’ll run five days a week, said Kirsten Hastings, who oversees the program.
Hastings also designed the logo for the center, which includes gears to make a connection with some of the learning that will take place there, as well as a figure shooting hoops, to make a connection with the fun and games.
“We outgrew the [recreation center],” Hastings said. “This took a lot of time and energy.”
Originally home to the local Veterans of Foreign Wars, the building was in rough shape after sitting empty after the Boys & Girls Club left, said Richard Faust, Cottonwood Parks and Recreation director.
To read the full story, see the Wednesday, Oct. 14, edition of the Cottonwood Journal Extra.
