GVBL Basketball and GVBL Center update:
As both GVCO and our programs map out strategies going forward, it is obviously difficult to predict what the future holds. Nonetheless we must move forward with the information that we have and develop a strategy that best safely serves the organization and the community.
In the past month I have reached out to each program leadership advisory group to better understand what they feel would be best for their program participants. This coupled with the information and standards being outlined by state and federal governing bodies helps us create a near term and longer term courses of action.
At this point our GVBL advisory board has made the decision to cancel all indoor basketball programming at the GVBL Center this summer; including all indoor activities, such as the the GVBL summer league and summer camps held at the GVBL Center.
What is nearly certain going forward is that our current facility (the GVBL Center on Bacton Hill Rd) is no longer a safe and healthy environment for our community in this new world we live in. For 15 years we have "shoe horned" kids and families into an overly small space, with fantastic success; however this will not work in the "new normal" we will be faced with going forward.
Overly crowded sidelines, bleachers and entrance ways; less than adequately maintained spaces throughout; middle school students charged with working and maintaining the snack stand....you have all been a part of it. These are all things that will be unacceptable going forward.
Fortunately, all those things that will cause issues in our tiny GVBL Center have been addressed and planned for in the new proposed GVCO Community Center.
With the lost revenue from canceled spring programming, as well as the summer programming cancelations and the GVBL Center sitting idle for the past couple of months and for an unknown amount of time going forward...it has been determined that the best fiscal course of action would be to terminate our lease for the GVBL Center and to close the facility permanently.
Nearly half of GVCO's operating budget is dedicated to the GVBL Center facility. It takes roughly $12,000 per month to maintain the facility. If the GVBL Center remains idle for 6 months, that is a $72,000 commitment with no usage. GVCO intends to continue to move forward with the proposed new GVCO Community Center and that savings is a significant amount of capital. Our GVCO Board of Directors unanimously agreed with this strategy.
Our GVBL advisory board is also in agreement and has been meeting regularly, continuing to map out various "what if" scenarios for bringing back GVBL basketball once the restrictions are lifted and it is determined to be safe for children to resume playing youth basketball. As events unfold we will be reaching out to you with further information.
As always thanks for your support and please stay safe.
Keith Walsh
GVCO Executive Director
