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City of Nowata

Posted: Jul 08, 2020 8:42 AMUpdated: Jul 08, 2020 10:22 AM

Ground Breaks for $4M Joint-Use Facility in Nowata

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Garrett Giles

Ground broke on a new joint-use facility in Nowata on Tuesday, July 7th that will be used by The Boys & Girls Club of Nowata and Tri County Tech.

Both entities have partnered up to construct that joint-use facility in Nowata aimed at inspiring children and adults to achieve their full potential by providing quality youth development services and life changing learning experiences. The state-of-the-art facility, approximately 22,500 square feet in size, will be constructed at the site of the existing Boys & Girls Club.  This facility will include dedicated spaces for both Tri County and the Boys & Girls Club of Nowata, along with shared spaces such as classrooms, a commercial kitchen and community meeting rooms.

“We are thrilled about this partnership and the potential it has to transform our entire community,” said John Woolman, Board of Directors member for both the Boys & Girls Club and the Tri County Tech Board of Education.

Brynn Barron, Executive Director of the Nowata Boys & Girls Club, said the local Club is committed to serving more kids, more often, with greater impact. 

“We are proud of our strong history of service; yet we recognize we must do more,” Barron said. “Often times, the possibility of a bright future feels out of reach as children and families lack the social and emotional support, education and life skills required to break the vicious cycle of poverty.”

With an anticipated completion date no later than summer of 2021, the Boys & Girls Club and Tri County Tech leaders have embarked upon a capital campaign to fund the estimated $4 million construction cost of the proposed facility.  Fundraising efforts have met with success, with just under $2.8 million in funds committed to date.

“Tri County's presence in Nowata will help spur economic development for existing and future businesses by providing a state-of-the-art training facility,” said Lindel Fields, Superintendent/CEO of Tri County Tech. “Partnering with the Boys & Girls Club will provide young people with a unique opportunity for a life-changing learning experience.  We are excited about this initiative and look forward to watching Nowata thrive.”

Those interested in supporting the project or learning more should contact John Woolman via email at johndwoolman@gmail.com or Tonya Foreman via email at Tonya.foreman@tricountytech.edu.

Here is the video of the old Nowata Middle School being torn down so more lives can be touched by Tri County Tech and the Boys & Girls Club in Nowata through the new facility.

The video was provided by the Boys & Girls Club of Nowata. Tri County Tech CEO and Superintendent Lindel Fields shared the video on Facebook, say: "A new chapter begins as Tri County Tech expands its reach to touch more lives. The original Nowata middle school is coming down to make way for a new facility that will co-house Tri County and te Boys & Girls Club of Nowata. This is a dream come true for so many and I can't wait to see it all come together."

In June 2019, the Public Service Company of Oklahoma presented a $50,000 check to Fields and Tri County Tech for the project. Then, Fields said the money will benefit The Boys and Girls Club of Nowata as well.

Again, the two groups are looking to build a $4 million facility in Nowata County with FAB Lab resources kids can enjoy. Fields said this will allow the two groups to co-locate, to share resources and to share state of the art learning opportunities to the youth in Nowata County.

The FAB Lab will provide resources like 3-D printers, carpentry equipment and a computer lab. This will also provide different machinery that adults in the Nowata community can use on their own projects. Fields said middle school kids getting their hands on equipment like this will improve their capacity for learning later in life.

There will also be a teen center, a kitchen for cooking classes, two outdoor classrooms and a gymnasium that kids can enjoy at the new facility in Nowata County. The new facility will be built at 300 S. Pine in the City of Nowata.

The Tri County Tech Foundation leads the project and has pledged that no individual will be denied an education due to a lack of funds. They say this pledge fuels the mission to inspire success through life-changing experiences and truly makes a difference in the lives of TCT students.

PSO's Manager of Community Affairs Michael Gordon presented the check to CEO Fields in June 2019 to make the facility more of a reality. Fields said it was exciting to see a corporation like PSO invest so much in the mission TCT and The Boy and Girls Club of Nowata has for the area's youth


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