The Aces after-school program in Bigfork has a new home.

Aces, which serves some 200 youths from Bigfork and Swan River schools, relocated in early January from the United Methodist Church to the building that formerly housed Viki’s Montana Classics.

Aces Director Cathy Gaiser said the program was able to work out a rental agreement with building owner Peter Hoveland.

Aces has a lease-to-purchase option for the building after two years of paying rent, she said.

The building puts Aces closer to the other building it uses for middle school students: the Bigfork Playhouse Children’s Theatre building on Grand Drive.

The new Aces Building, as it will be known, is on the corner of Grand Drive and Commerce Street, almost directly across from Bigfork Elementary.

“We were looking for a place to get the kids outside,” Gaiser said. The new building will enable them to do just that.

There’s a lot going on at the after-school program, which runs from 3:15 to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday:

v The program recently received a Fit Kit Club grant that allows the children to use snowshoes and sleds at the Bigfork High School track and Bigfork Elementary’s playground.

v Middle-schoolers are setting up grow lights at the Playhouse building that will enable them to grow starter plants for the Bigfork school garden.

v Twelve Bigfork High School students are mentoring 12 elementary school students with their science projects for this month’s science fair. “We’re helping students who weren’t able to be in the Science Project,” Gaiser said.

v The Windmill Foundation recently gave the program a grant that pays for the children of Bigfork teachers to use the program.

v Signe Ensign from the Persimmon Gallery in Bigfork volunteered to start an art program.

Aces will host an open house at its new building later this month.