Plan for £3.8m long-awaited, 'more welcoming' centre to be unveiled

PLANS for a community centre at Royston and Wardieburn will be presented by council staff at a meeting of the area's community council on 23 June.

The 3.8 million building will replace the existing centre on Pilton Drive North, which has been in place for 45 years. It will include an art and crafts room, sports hall, changing facilities, cafe, computer suite and games room. Residents have been waiting since 2004 for the existing building to be replaced.

Community council chairwoman Joan Turner said: "It's a piece of good news, where usually everything's being cancelled and closed down.

"This centre is 45 years old and I don't think it was meant to be very permanent when it was built.

"I think everybody felt a bit doubtful whether it would go ahead, especially when you start to hear things about tightening belts and there being no money, but this particular money had been ring-fenced for so long. We're very happy to have people coming down to the AGM to show everyone what's planned."

She said she hoped the project will give the community centre a new lease of life, in particular making it more welcoming for elderly people in the area.

Council officers will present the plans to residents during the first half of the community council's AGM, which begins at 7pm at the current centre.