The Centre in Oswestry to officially open on Saturday

Oswestry’s new state-of the-art youth centre ‘The Centre’ is to be officially opened on Saturday 8 December 2012. 

The ribbon will be cut at 10am by Shropshire Councillors Keith Barrow and Vince Hunt, signalling the start of an exciting day of events to mark the occasion.  These will include: 

• 10am until 10.30am – official ribbon cutting and speeches.
• 10.30am until 12pm – skateboarding and BMX session in the hall, coffee and mince pies and a chance to have a look around The Centre.
• 12pm until 12.30pm – drumming parade in the town centre.
• 12.30pm until 2pm – music and graffiti art workshops.
• 2pm until 4.30pm – performances and workshops in the hall.
• 7pm until 10pm – bands, VJ and DJ’s in the hall with Fusion Arts Oswestry (FAO). 

Vince Hunt, local Shropshire councillor for Oswestry West, who has been heavily involved in the project, said:

“This is a fantastic new centre which gives young people in Oswestry and from the surrounding area a place of their own, the opportunity to take part in a range of activities, and benefit from important information, advice and guidance. 

“We have worked extremely hard to incorporate young people’s ideas into the design of the building and the facilities it offers, and this really shows now it’s open.” 

Keith Barrow, Shropshire Councillor for Oswestry South, said:

“This will be a fitting opening to this new centre.  I’m really pleased that young people will be able to see their ideas brought to life.” 

Karen Burgoyne, Shropshire Council’s deputy Cabinet member, said:

“Everyone involved has shown immense commitment and enthusiasm; they should all be extremely proud of the part they have played in this exciting, groundbreaking project.” 

The facility was opened to the public in October 2012 and was made possible by Government grants.  It has replaced the old Centre North West facility in Oak Street. 

The building is energy-efficient and has lots of eco credentials including biomass heating, rain water harvesting, solar heating and heat exchangers.  It is extremely well insulated, which will reduce heating costs and lower the council’s carbon footprint. 

The Centre has a recording studio and music room which is hoped to be run by a social enterprise formed by local musicians.  There is a cafe area, commercial standard kitchen, art room, interview and meeting rooms, training room, large hall for skateboarding, blades and BMX as well as more traditional activities like dance, drama and music. 

There is also an upstairs terraced area that will be used for barbecues and growing produce.  Outside there are two ‘pebbles’ for sitting on, which will be lit at night by energy-efficient colour changing LEDs. 

Young people, supported by youth workers, have been fully involved in the project throughout, including helping with the design, plans for how it will be used, the colours, furniture and equipment.  A group has been meeting weekly at The Marches School to discuss issues and make decisions on matters concerning the building.

It is the council’s vision to make this a vibrant and busy place, and to do that it’s important to have lots of involvement from the local community.  Councillor Vince Hunt is spearheading a drive to form a management committee, and to include local charities, businesses and charities in the building.  So far, partners include St John’s Ambulance, Fusion Arts Oswestry (FAO) and Shropshire Youth Association.

More links are being made with the community, including two potential social enterprises that are looking to form around the specialist areas of music, BMX and skating, as well as a local youth charity that is hoping to relocate into the building.

The land on which the new building sits has been leased to Shropshire Council by Oswestry Town Council.

Further information

A £2,115,877 grant for this project was awarded by the Big Fund in April 2011, and a further grant of £470,000 has been received from the Department for Education for co-locating a range of important services for young people.  The remaining money has been contributed by Shropshire Council.