Work has begun on a £3.4 million flagship centre which will provide state-of-the art new facilities for young people across Rotherham. The metal framework of the centre has started to rise up from the site next to St Ann's roundabout in the town centre, with work due to be completed by October 2011
The new facilities are part of the national Myplace initiative and have involved a local partnership led by the Chantry YMCA and involving Rotherham Metropolitan Borough Council and other local partners.
The youth hub will offer a location for a wide range of integrated services and opportunities for young people. It will include facilities for youngsters aged 11-19, such as a graffiti art room, IT suite, cinema, performance hall and rooftop café. It will also act as a base for agencies to provide a wide range of support and advice directly to young people on issues which affect them.
David Sargent, from Chantry YMCA, said: "The Myplace project has given a powerful voice to young people in Rotherham. The myplace facility is a very real expression of what young people have described as their wish for dedicated facilities in Rotherham and the partnership has worked hard to meet their expectations. All the partners are making excellent progress on planning with young people for all the activities that will be delivered in the centre.
Councillor Mahroof Hussain, Cabinet Member for Community Development, Equality and Young People's Issues, added: "This project is the flagship for the future of integrated services for young people in Rotherham as well as providing superb new facilities for everyone to use and enjoy.
This is another example of groups in Rotherham coming together to create a new venture which will help meet the needs and aspirations of young people. It is great to see all the hard work of such a wide range of people, including young people themselves, coming to fruition as the building takes shape."
The new centre has been designed by Rotherham MBC's Environmental and Development Services' in-house architects and is being built by Wildgoose Construction.
The project is funded as part of the national MyPlace initiative which The Big Lottery Fund is delivering on behalf of the Department for Education. Myplace nationally aims to deliver world class youth facilities driven by the active participation of young people and their views and needs. It has funded 70 projects across England worth £270 million.