Renderings for a proposed hockey rink at the state-of-the-art Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens clubhouse. Photo via Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens.
The National Hockey League (NHL) and National Hockey League Players’ Association (NHLPA) have provided Variety Boys and Girls Club of Queens with a $2.5 million grant to build a new ice hockey rink at Variety’s state-of-the-art clubhouse, which is currently under development in Astoria.
The grant, which stems from the NHL/NHLPA Industry Growth Fund (IGF), will fund the creation of a dedicated hockey space on the roof of the new clubhouse, including equipment and youth-focused programming.
The Variety headquarters, located at 21-12 30th Road, is undergoing a major $305 million renovation that will transform it into a state-of-the-art, 125,000 square-foot facility.
Variety, which has served Queens youths from its existing clubhouse since 1955, shuttered that space in December in advance of the development of the new facility.
The redeveloped clubhouse will include a regulation pool, a gymnasium, a teaching kitchen, a theater, and what will become the first planetarium in Queens, expanding the Club’s ability to deliver educational, recreational and enrichment opportunities for generations to come.
Once complete, the new clubhouse will allow the organization to serve up to 16,000 children annually, according to Variety CEO Costa Constantinides. The redevelopment will also make Variety the largest Boys and Girls Club in the U.S., as well as allowing the organization to effectively quadruple the reach of its after-school, athletic and swimming programs in Queens.
The project, which is expected to be completed by early 2028, includes a 236-unit, carbon-neutral affordable housing development, with 69 units reserved for youth aging out of foster care, as well as a dedicated children’s mental health center. Additional features include a 1,500-seat arena and a 400-seat school, further integrating community services with educational and recreational programming.
Now, the redeveloped clubhouse will also include a hockey rink and innovation space providing youth-focused programming for local children.
Constantinides said the grant will allow Variety to provide children with the “tools to find their passions” as well as building hockey fandom in the area.
“We are grateful for the National Hockey League, National Hockey League Players’ Association and the IGF’s critical support for our new building and Center Rink for Innovation play roof as part of what will become the largest Boys and Girls Club in the United States,” Constantinides said.
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly said the NHL’s responsibility to the communities it serves extends “far beyond the rink.”
“This grant is about investing in people, in neighborhoods, and in the future. The Variety Boys & Girls Club of Queens has a remarkable history of service, and we are proud to support a project that will create opportunity, belonging, and hope for so many young people,” Daly said in a statement.
NHLPA Executive Director Marty Walsh said the organization is keen to support the construction of the clubhouse, stating that the grant aims to support communities where players live and work.
“The clubhouse will have a positive impact on so many young people in Queens, and we look forward to seeing the facility come to life,” Walsh said in a statement.
