Hidden Village, Spiritwood Manor Boys & Girls Clubs Reopen

Families at Hidden Village and Spiritwood Manor, affordable housing complexes managed by the King County Housing Authority, will get more room for new activities for kids, as the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue reopened their clubhouses after expansion projects.

According to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue, the enlarged buildings allow for the expansion of programs including “Girl Start,” a program that encourages girls to engage in STEM learning, “Netsmartz;” an Internet safety initiative for members and their families, and “BE Healthy, BE Great,”a program that promotes healthy lifestyles and attitudes through fun and active games.

According to supporters of the expansion projects, these facilities will allow Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue to increase the educational opportunities along the 148th Street corridor.

“These facilities are critical investments in our youth,” said U.S. Rep. Adam Smith said in a prepared statement. “Literacy rates and test scores are low for our poorest students. Closing the achievement gap is vital.  By enabling access to high-quality after-school programs, KCHA and Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue are providing much-needed resources that prepare our kids for the competitive global economy and make sure they have the skills they need to successfully enter the workforce.”

The grand re-opening celebration of both facilities will be Sept. 12 and start at the Spiritwood Clubhouse at 4 p.m. and continue at Hidden Village Clubhouse at 4:30 p.m., with the club transporting attendees from one site to the next.

The Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue provided the following information on the expansion:

The Hidden Village facility, which serves about 60 youngsters, was expanded to 4,646 square feet of program space. The Spiritwood Manor facility, which serves about 50 children, tripled its footprint to 3,125 square feet, The facilities are light-filled and welcoming, designed with both learning and fun in mind.  The construction cost of the two centers was $2.5 million and was paid for by the Housing Authority.

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Hidden Village is a 78-unit garden community located at 14508 S.E .24th St. Spiritwood Manor, which is located at 1424 148th Ave. S.E., has 130 units. Both complexes are owned and managed by the King County Housing Authority.