Monday, February 16, 2026 |
Photo – Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming logo – Courtesy Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming
The Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming is exploring the possibility of constructing a new recreation center in Saratoga.
The Boys and Girls Club was founded during the Civil War to keep boys off the streets while the men were away fighting. Since that time, the organization has established branches across the country. In 1969, the first Boys and Girls Club in Wyoming opened in Casper. Twenty-one years later, that chapter became the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming, operating in four counties and six municipalities.
Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming Chief Executive Officer Ashley Bright announced that thanks to the efforts of Saratoga resident Daney Tanner and her family, the organization is looking into expanding into the Platte Valley.
While speaking with Daney Tanner, Bright learned of an effort by local attorney Nick Haderlie to build an aquatic center in Saratoga. In 2022, Haderlie proposed constructing an indoor swimming facility to serve the Platte Valley. However, the plan proved unfeasible due to high operating costs, and the project was eventually set aside. Bright said Haderlie’s original proposal is being reconfigured to determine if a newly constructed Boys and Girls Club recreation center would be viable in Saratoga.
Bright said her vision is to construct an entirely new facility on town-owned property between the Saratoga Middle High School and the library on West Elm Avenue. The building would feature two separate gymnasiums: one operated by the Boys and Girls Club and the other by the town.
Saratoga would retain ownership of the land, but the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming would own the facility and lease the second gymnasium back to the town. A local board of directors would oversee the Platte Valley facility. Last November, the Saratoga Town Council approved a resolution expressing support for the proposed recreation center and granting the organization access to the land on Elm Avenue for testing.
Bright said housing both Club and municipal activities in the same building would ensure reliable year-round services that meet the needs of residents.
Bright said the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming is ready to begin construction as soon as the organization has raised $15.5 million. The CEO said the funding will cover the cost to build the facility and maintain operations for two years.
However, Bright emphasized that the plan is not yet finalized. Representatives from the Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming and local project proponents will host a public meeting on Monday, February 16th, to gather feedback from the community.
The Boys and Girls Club informational meeting will take place at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, February 16th, in the Saratoga Elementary School cafeteria. Bright will also discuss the proposal with the Saratoga Town Council the following Wednesday, February 18th.
Link to Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming: Platte Valley – Boys & Girls Club
