Boys & Girls Club seeks long-term lease at Bondi Park; city staff to start rezoning and neighborhood outreach

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson and Salina asked the Salina City Commission on Aug. 25 to approve a long-term lease for a parcel just south of Sunset Park so the organization can build a permanent club facility that would replace a practice ball diamond in Bondi Park. Lance Patterson, chief executive officer of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Hutchinson and Salina, said the club would provide after-school and summer programming and that the organization plans to open an interim site at Oakdale Elementary School in November while pursuing a permanent building. "The Boys and Girls Club is a place where we work to enable all young people, especially those who need us most, to realize their full potential as productive, responsible, caring citizens," Patterson said. The advisory board identified the southern end of Sunset Park as the preferred permanent site. The proposed building would remove one of the park's baseball diamonds; staff said that specific diamond is currently used only for practice. City staff reported they have held design review team (DRT) meetings and believe the site is…