LAS VEGAS (FOX5) — A Girl Scout house in Henderson that first opened in 1943 is closing for good. The city is demolishing the building, located behind Water Street, as part of a park redevelopment project.
Girl Scout leaders say more than 100 girls across 13 troops regularly use the house, and they were left with no alternative meeting space in Henderson.
Building to be demolished, not relocated
Carolyn Wheeler, with the Girl Scouts of Southern Nevada, said the house is not being moved or rebuilt elsewhere.
“It’s not being moved. It’s not being rebuilt anywhere else. It is being completely demolished,” Wheeler said.
Girl Scout leaders told FOX5 that the City of Henderson is redeveloping a nearby park and that the house sits inside the construction footprint.
Leaders say no alternative space was provided
Girl Scout leaders said they have been searching for a place for troops to meet in the Henderson community.
“We’ve been scrambling to try to find a place for our girls in the Henderson community to meet. We have over 13 troops that use this house on a regular basis. That’s over 100 girls in our community,” said Wheeler.
When asked whether the city provided an alternative location in Henderson, troop leaders said no.
“The city of Henderson basically said to us, here are some contacts, and go figure it out yourself. No introduction to these facilities. No monetary support,” Wheeler said.
Wheeler said the Girl Scouts own the physical building, while the city owns the land.
“It’s our understanding that we own the physical building, and Henderson owns the land,” Wheeler said.
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Troop leader reflects on years at the house
Jennifer Tomaiko, troop leader for Troop 337, has led her troop for almost a decade. She said her daughter began as a Brownie in the troop and is now a senior in high school.
“I’ve watched these girls grow up. My daughter started her Girl Scout journey as a Brownie, and she’s a graduating senior in high school this year,” Tomaiko said.
Tomaiko said losing a meeting space creates challenges for volunteers who must travel outside their communities.
“When the troop moves, it’s hard because if the leaders can’t get to where they need to go, then the troop falls apart,” Tomaiko said.
“When the house gets demolished, we have nothing, no recourse,” Wheeler added.
City’s full statement
The City of Henderson provided the following statement:
“The City has been and continues to be a proud partner with the Girl Scouts for many years. In September 1979, the City provided the Girl Scouts exclusive use of the building located in the Downtown Recreational Center Park via a rent-free Lease that has been in effect for the past 47 years. The City is in the process of reconfiguring the Downtown Park and remapping a portion of it for sale to the City’s redevelopment agency, after which the Redevelopment Agency will sell the property for future redevelopment purposes. This process includes demolition of the building due to the reconfiguration’s wide scale.
“The City has been in communication with the Girl Scouts about this project over the past year. After much discussion, they were notified by letter on Aug. 17, 2026, that their lease would not be renewed and would expire on Sept. 17, 2026. We will continue to work with the Girl Scouts to find a path that moves this partnership forward.”
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