pulteneytownpeoplesproject.org.uk

Community Centre for Wick

We have been working for the last 6 years to build a Community Centre that will have a lasting effect to the people of Wick and provide facilities to fill the gaps in services within the town.

Plans for the centre were drawn up based on the feedback we received from our initial community consultation four years ago, and these have been updated again recently to accommodate changing community needs, after consultation with various local organisations and community groups.

The centre will be like no other in the Highlands – it will ‘house’ community, training and employers under the same roof.

The multi-purpose hall will contain sports facilities (including badminton court), and will also provide a venue for 120 with bleacher seating for theatre, conferences, youth discos, etc.

Cafe with internet access – this will be the ‘hub’ of community, with soft play area, and a youth cafe running in the evening. With a training kitchen above the main cafe it will be an excellent facility for chefs who wish to put on their own menus.

There will also be Youth ‘drop in’ facilities, games rooms, TV and soft seating area.

‘Drop in’ crèche facilities – providing ad-hoc childcare for off shore workers, shift workers, or occasional childcare needs, so that parents can attend classes, groups or personal appointments.

There will also be classroom and training facilities, artist studio, dance/hobbies room, training kitchen, band practice space and office accommodation for small local businesses.

A new way of thinking....

A nice meal with a local chef before attending an arts evening.

Mothers can drop off their child at crèche while they attended a training session, floral arranging, or go to get their shopping.

Small businesses not big enough for their own premises will be able to rent office space and have the use of a committee room for staff meetings, photocopier and administration services as required, reception facilities along with a cafe to meet clients and Reps.

A youth cafe, drop- in area and sports hall/ teenage disco for evening use that is used by the community during the day, making it a sustainable model.

Funding

We are pulling together the final stages of our funding package. Thanks to our funders who have confirmed a total of £3.4 million so far:

The BIG Lottery

Community Energy Scotland

European Regional Development Fund

Highlands & Islands Enterprise

Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

The Robertson Trust

Score Environment

Scottish Government Wider Role

Social Investment Scotland

We are awaiting confirmation of funding of the final £400,000 required, and we expect to hear about this at the end of June. Remaining funding permitting we expect to be on site building by the end of this summer and hope to have the centre up and running by October 2011.