YMCA up for sale as HUB plans are shelved
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ONE of Grantown’s most historic buildings has been put up for sale again after £4 million plans for a state-of-the-art community centre hit the buffers because of funding problems.
Backers had hoped that the doors to the new facility at the Grantown YMCA – dubbed The Hub – could have opened around 2013 to 2014 if everything had gone to plan.
However, the project has not progressed because of big cuts in public spending that have affected potential funders.
Now members of the YMCA’s board have agreed to put the complex on High Street – which is home to the town’s library and youth drop-in centre – back on the market.
Grantown YMCA is no longer fit for purpose, they have said, and money that would have been spent on upgrading the 114 year-old building will now go on safeguarding the town’s youth services.
Chair of the board, Bridget Trussell, said that their decision had been made for them following "little interest" at a public meeting on "Son of Hub" last Monday.
The building will go onto the market shortly, although no price tag has been confirmed.
But in the meantime the board have stressed that all current provision including the library and youth drop-in centre will continue to operate as normal.
The YMCA centre was put on the market several years ago but withdrawn when the community led Hub plans came forward a short time later.
Ms Trussell said: "We did get offers on the building, however, at that time the YMCA board felt the building would be best put to community use but unfortunately this proposal has not materialised.
"To be honest we are running a building that we are only using a tiny part of. The overheads are considerable and the YMCA building is it in need substantial repair which we cannot simply afford."
She added: "The money fetched for the building will remain in the YMCA in Grantown and will be used for the purchase or rent of a new building for youth provision."
The youth drop-in centre is currently held on Tuesdays. Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays.
The proposal for the Hub first mooted in February, last year, included:
• A new and improved town library;
• A youth cafe and cafe for the general public, and a kitchen;
• A large hall stage and second events hall;
• An IT suite and meeting rooms;
• A learning and resource centre; and
• An arts and crafts area.
Whilst making use of the YMCA building and preserving the facade, there had been plans at the rear for a large extension, a children’s play area, and a multi-use, all-weather, outdoor five-a-side pitch.
The YMCA building would have been completely gutted as part of the scheme and the 1970’s extension demolished.
