NEW YOUTH CENTRE OPENS IN HAROLD HILL

Submitted by tina.arendholz on Wed, 2010-07-28 09:38
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The £1m renovation of the Betty Strathern Centre in Harold Hill was completed last week.

The complete refurbishment of the youth centre includes a new IT room, office space, kitchen, coffee and juice bar, gym equipment, new roofing, double glazed windows and areas for playing pool and table tennis.

To celebrate the end of the works, an opening ceremony was held on Friday 23 July and the management of the building was formally handed over to the Briar Community Association who played an active part in the renovation.

The renovation was made possible with £760,193 in funding from the Government’s Community Assets scheme (delivered by the Big Fund) with additional support from VEOLIA Cleanaway Trust and the Council.

The Betty Strathern Centre is a part of Havering Council's Harold Hill Ambitions project and its refurbishment will be a major boost to the area.

As well as a much needed youth centre, the re-modelled Betty Strathern Centre will act as a new and improved base for community groups, clubs and other organisations to meet.

The new facilities at the centre allow for all types of activities including IT training and education programmes or the centre could be used as a meeting place for regular social or health clubs with activities ranging from ballroom dancing to dieting classes.

Around 500 people used to visit the centre every week and it is expected that with these improvements the number will double in a matter of years.

Cabinet Member for Individuals, Councillor Steven Kelly said:

"We are very excited to open a new youth centre in Harold Hill and complete the renovations at the Betty Strathern Centre. The excellent new facilities here will give the local community more activities and wider range in the way they can use the centre.

"The Betty Strathern Centre is an important part of our Harold Hill Ambitions project where we work with the community to improve the quality of life of residents creating opportunities in housing, lifestyle, education and community involvement."