Students at Colina Middle School in Thousand Oaks finally have the run of a new $4.5 million clubhouse built by the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo and Las Virgenes.

The facility next to the school on West Hillcrest Drive was officially opened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony on Monday. The new building has a computer lab with 38 work stations, a homework room, games area, a soundproofed music room, space for arts and crafts and a large multipurpose room.

Already, more than 460 students ages 11 to 13 have signed up as members of the club, which is run under the supervision of Phil Hamrick, branch director.

"There's a before- and after-school program where kids can come and do homework," Hamrick said. "We have a lunchtime program where kids can come in, eat lunch and play games."

The heart of the after-school program is the "Power Hour," starting when kids get out of school at 3:30 p.m. "We make sure it's quiet so they have a good environment to do their homework," explained Rachel Melia, 21, an English major at CSU Channel Islands, who is employed to supervise the students as they study.

The new facility in Thousand Oaks is the second clubhouse built by the Boys & Girls Club of Conejo and Las Virgenes, which opened a similar building in 2005 on the campus of Los Cerritos Middle School and also offers activities on the campus of Redwood Middle School and Sequoia Middle School, both in Thousand Oaks.

All four schools are in the Conejo Unified School District.

Talks are under way regarding development of a clubhouse at Lindero Canyon Middle School in Agoura Hills, in the Las Virgenes Unified School District.

The Colina club was delayed by two years and cost twice as much as had originally been planned.

"There were some underground utilities that were unexpected and had to be moved," said Diane McKay, president of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Conejo and Las Virgenes. "Then we had to switch contractors, and revised plans had to go back to the state architect for approval."

The increased cost means that a planned third clubhouse, at the Sequoia Middle School campus, will have to wait until funds can be raised to pay for it.

The Boys & Girls Club plans to hold its annual fundraising gala Oct. 20 at the Four Seasons Hotel in Westlake Village to help raise money to build the two clubs at Sequoia and Lindero Canyon middle schools.

Colina Middle School Principal Mike Waters says having the club on campus has been beneficial.

"It offers a safe place and a positive environment," he said. "We're building a program to meet the diverse needs of children in our community."

Hamrick says there's been a lot of positive feedback so far from parents, some of whom, like Kevin Wilt, are trying out the Boys & Girls Club for the first time.

"I work weird hours," Wilt said as he picked up his 12-year-old stepson, Luke. "My wife works till 6 p.m. He needs a place he can go to after school, do homework and have fun until we can pick him up."

"We're trying to work hand in hand with the school and the parents," said Hamrick. "The main goal of the Boys & Girls Club is character building. We try to instill in kids that you have choices in life."