Malvern, Pennsylvania – The Great Valley Community Organization (GVCO), city and state officials, and Malvern-area donors and residents celebrated the ribbon cutting of the GVCO Community Center last night. The new 16,000-square-foot complex will provide inclusive programming for all ages and abilities for the nonprofit’s 5,500-member base and residents in East Whiteland Township, Charlestown Township, Willistown, Malvern Borough and beyond.
“The new GVCO complex is a much-needed community hub aimed to foster personal growth, intergenerational connections, and inclusivity, all while meeting the community’s needs,” said Tom Curran, founder, GVCO. “This center has been a dream of ours for the last 15 years and today we open the doors to a bright future ahead.”
The state-of-the-art facility represents the first phase of a multiphase development plan and phase I includes indoor basketball and multiple-purpose courts for a variety sports and events, as well as a community meeting area.
The GVCO Community Center offers a variety of programs designed to engage, educate, and enrich the lives of its participants. Inclusion in all aspects of life ensures everyone in the community can benefit from the Center’s programming, which includes youth and adult sports, activities for seniors, and Challenger Gym, an adaptive recreational gym program for children with special needs. The most recent addition to GVCO’s programming is the Chester County Seeing Eye Puppy Club which now has a permanent home for their regularly scheduled training sessions.
“Every community deserves a cherished space where neighbors can come together and residents of all ages and abilities can gather, play, and build skills that last a lifetime,” said state Senator Carolyn Comitta. “I am proud to join our partners in securing funding for this community center, a place where generations of Great Valley area families and children can learn, grow, and create lifelong memories.”
The Center is also home to GVCO Caring Hands, an innovative volunteer program that empowers middle and high school students to support their community through events, fund raising, and collection drives. In addition, GVCO employs between 10-15 high school and college interns every year to assist with the administration of its programming.
To date, more than $4 million has been raised for the GVCO project, including a $1.3 million Redevelopment Assistance Capital Program (RACP) grant and more than $3 million from individual and business donations. The RACP grant is a Commonwealth grant program administered by the Office of the Budget for the design, acquisition, and construction of a regional economic, cultural, civic, recreational, and historical improvement project.
GVCO is planning on future phases of the community center development to include additional indoor athletic courts, a cafe, an elevated track, a fitness area, multi-purpose rooms for other community programming, outdoor basketball courts, a turf field, and outdoor seating. The schedule for these subsequent facility expansions will depend on the success of ongoing fundraising efforts.