If the city's youths think they have trouble finding a place to hang out, they're not alone.
Midvale's adults can't find a place for their teens to gather, either.It's been nearly two years since representatives of the Boys & Girls Club of America, city officials and a group of volunteers started looking for a site where the nonprofit organization could build a permanent Midvale facility.
In that time, at least a half-dozen sites have been seriously considered. All have been ruled out for one reason or another.
Earlier this month, it looked as if the Boys & Girls Club of Murray and Midvale would finally get its Midvale location.
But some last-minute questions prompted the City Council, which has been asked to donate the property, to look at yet another site.
The matter will be taken up again at the council's Jan. 24 meeting.
"We would like to get our plans started and get our funds raised and get this building under way," said Nora Hansen, administrative assistant for the Murray-Midvale chapter. "There is a tremendous need for youth facilities, not just in the Midvale area but the whole Salt Lake County area. The whole area is facing tough problems and the Boys & Girls Club wants to help alleviate those problems."
But first it has to resolve its own dilemma.
In addition to its Murray facility, the organization now uses Midvale Elementary for its activities but is limited in what it can provide there.
At one time, the club appeared destined for Holden Street and the lot where the Grayson apartment building once stood. But that area was deemed too congested.
A privately held tract near City Hall was sought, but was sold before an offer could be made. Some South Main Street property was available, but its location across the street from a state liquor store was undesirable.
The latest best choice is a city-owned vacant lot, nearly two acres, at 182 S. Main St. Hansen said the property is large enough to allow for the club's planned 14,000-square-foot building - which will include a gymnasium - and still leave room for a city-maintained park at the front of the property.
Some neighborhood residents have expressed concern, particularly about the amount of traffic the facility would bring in.
The club now offers a before- and after-school child-care program and could become licensed to run a full day-care facility. Potentially, the center could be open six days a week, 6:30 a.m.-9 p.m., for child-care and youth activities.
City Councilman Keith Alexander said some South Main residents fear the facility would encourage gang members to con-gre-gate.
"There's been a wrong image painted of boys and girls in general. When you come to a Boys & Girls Club, they feel all you're going to get is a bad type of boy and girl, and that's just not true," he said. "Overall, the guys and gals we've got hanging around are good kids, they just need some di-rec-tion.
"With the day care, (opponents) can see this barrage of kids climbing over their fence, which would not be true. The day care is a very positive thing for working families and working single parents because of the nominal fee they charge."
The concerns prompted Councilman Kevin Jorgensen to suggest a study of yet another parcel, this one in the city park on the east side of I-15 at about 7600 South.
City Manager Mike Siler, who is overseeing the study, said it would be nice for the club to have easy access to the park. He noted the site would also be removed from a residential area where neighbors might be disturbed.
However, Siler said, "Most of the people we'd be serving with the Boys & Girls Club live in the heart of the old city and the park is approximately a half mile away from that and most of those folks don't have transportation. If we located the facility where the Boys & Girls Club wanted it located, it would far better serve those people."
When a location is finally determined, the Boys & Girls Club is counting on an outpouring of donations and volunteer labor to construct the building, which would be available for other community functions.