£5m funds joy

Grant for state-of-the-art youth centre goes ahead

FUNDING for Oldham’s new £5million state of the art youth centre has been awarded after months of uncertainty.

The “Myplace” government grant promised towards the Oldham Youth Zone by former Labour government will be honoured by the coalition.

It will be used to build the centre in Egerton Street at the former Marjory Lees health centre. The youth centre will boast facilities including a sports hall, outdoor pitch, boxing gym, fitness room and climbing wall.

There will also be a dance studio, small cinema area, cafe, covered patio and meeting rooms. The building will have striking chameleon cladding and a solar wall which will change from rust orange to emerald green depending from where it is viewed.

And the large, black solar wall will provide heating and reduce running costs.

Other features include a central street with a roof of translucent, coloured panels, and a first floor balcony.

Schemes up and down the country were under threat after being examined by the government for value for money.

Yesterday (7) Children’s Minister Tim Loughton said the Oldham scheme would get its promised cash, along with 56 other projects given the go-ahead sharing a £134 million funding pot.

Mr Loughton said it was vital communities provided fun, safe places and activities for all its young people at places that were popular and accessible to everyone.

He added: “I will be looking to these projects to make the very most of the resources they are receiving and to take every opportunity to promote young people’s positive and active role in society.

“I want to see them working closely with their communities and local businesses to ensure they are sustainable in the long term.”

Myplace is part of Aiming High for Young People, a 10-year Department for Children, Schools and Families (DCSF) strategy to provide young people with safe places to go and interesting things to do.

Administered by the BIG Lottery Fund, it enables the creation of world class youth facilities in communities across the country through the input of young people and cross-sector partnership working.

The centre is due to open summer 2011.

Norman Stoller OBE, who committed £250,000 to the Oldham club through the Stoller Charitable Trust, will be the club’s president.

He said: “This is the most fantastic, wonderful news that has ever come to Oldham. Oldham has always been a beacon for the rest of the country and now it is going to have the best of the best.”

William Lees-Jones, chairman of the Oldham Youth Zone project, said: “This is something new and of benefit for the town.”