Boys' & Girls' Club property sold

Wu · 04-01-2005, 08:44 PM

Walton Sun - Sale will put an end to litigation over 30A property

Officials closed the sale of the Boys and Girls Club property on W. County Road 30A on April 1.
The exact selling price has not yet been released. However, sources close to the sale say the price was more than double the $10 million offered by opponents of the club two years ago.
The sale signals the end to the controversy surrounding the site for almost three years.
The 22.3 acres of land is a stone�s throw from the beach on the road�s south side, just west of Butler Elementary School.
The property and $8 million to be used solely for construction of new facilities were donated by the Pennington Foundation.
Groundbreaking for the new facility was initially expected to be held the beginning of 2002 and construction started shortly thereafter with completion in 18 to 24 months.
However, opposition to the club and its location stopped the facility dead in its tracks. Opponents charged the facility would be disruptive to the neighborhood with its ballpark lights, traffic and the ensuing noise and present an environmental impediment to adjoining Topsail park.
Current litigation challenges the non-profit status of not just the local club, but the entire Boys and Girls Club organization.
Supporters of the club countered, however, that opponents were motivated by other elements including social bigotry and greed.
Friday�s sale clears the way for the club to relocate to a new location without further litigation.
Sources close to the sale said the club had identified property near or in the Government and Education Center as the potential new location for the club.
The offer is said to be one of several that the club entertained that came unsolicited.

**Smiling JOe** · 04-02-2005, 06:47 AM

Sources close to the sale said the club had identified property near or in the Government and Education Center as the potential new location for the club.

I hear that the B & G Club is purchasing land that you could swim across on Don Bishop Rd -- maybe it is mitigation land?

**FoX** · 04-02-2005, 08:14 AM

That could makes sense, since some of the SoWal GEC on 331 is wet and would have to be mitigated to build there.

**beachmouse** · 04-02-2005, 09:23 AM

I'm not usually one to wade into the townies v. tourists debate, but the whole opposition to the Boys & Girls club was disgraceful. God forbid we let the kids of the people who live and work here actually have a safe, supervised place to play. They might play loudly and disturb the tourists in their convertibles driving down to their beach houses.

Never mind that the original site was across the street from an elementary school and a neighborhood that for a long time was one of the more affordable family-friendly places for locals to live in South Walton. But then there's probably a group that wants to relocate the elementary school too because the land's too valuable to let working class kids go to school there.

**reedtsu** · 04-17-2005, 08:54 PM

Isn't it something. My family has lived in this area for over a century and I am a realtor......It is hard to decide which way to turn when it comes to the tourist VS. local issue.

**FoX** · 04-17-2005, 09:24 PM

Originally Posted by reedtsu

Isn't it something. My family has lived in this area for over a century and I am a realtor......It is hard to decide which way to turn when it comes to the tourist VS. local issue.

Sounds like you mean to say that you see both sides of the "issue". Except there is no "issue" as far as I'm aware. Care to educate?

**FoX** · 04-17-2005, 09:23 PM

Originally Posted by beachmouse

I'm not usually one to wade into the townies v. tourists debate, but the whole opposition to the Boys & Girls club was disgraceful. God forbid we let the kids of the people who live and work here actually have a safe, supervised place to play. They might play loudly and disturb the tourists in their convertibles driving down to their beach houses.

Never mind that the original site was across the street from an elementary school and a neighborhood that for a long time was one of the more affordable family-friendly places for locals to live in South Walton. But then there's probably a group that wants to relocate the elementary school too because the land's too valuable to let working class kids go to school there.

As far as I know, there weren't any tourists at the commission meetings complaining about noisy kids.

Sounds like you have some issues. Just about every local here was a tourist.