First look at new Market Drayton community centre design
This is the first glimpse of how a proposed new community centre in Market Drayton will look.
The facility, which will feature a cafe, office and meeting area, will be built on the Longlands play area, off Linden Way.
It forms part of The Zone project which was awarded £375,726 from the Big Lottery Fund earlier this year. The scheme, which is also being funded by Market Drayton Town Council, will also see new play equipment installed.
Nicola Fisher, Shropshire Council's senior community enablement officer, said: "Longlands play area is managed by the town council.
"All the equipment will be coming off. What can be re-used will be but there will be a whole new play area. We will be keeping the football pitch.
"The play area will be aimed at older children, so those aged 11 and above. There will be more climbing equipment, adventure play and assault courses.
"We have also been working with an architect for a new community centre.
"A lot of thought and workshops have gone into this but there is room for tweaking.
"One of the things that the people working on the project have liked is the amount of open space."
An event will be held on the site on Sunday(OCT16) to give people the chance to view and comment on the design for the new facilities.
Proposed designs for the new play area will be on show and people can get involved in deciding which new play area will be chosen.
Shropshire councillor for Market Drayton Roger Hughes said the upgrade was long overdue.
"The play area has never been updated for all the years I have been on the council," he said.
"For the past 20 years hardly anything has been spent on it.
"We have spent hundreds of thousands in the north and south wards, but this area has been neglected. It is long overdue.
"The upgrade is marvellous. It is going to be a smashing facility."
The community centre could also feature an educational support zone, information and advice, IT and digital workshops, social enterprise, book-keeping, and family reading sessions.
Meanwhile, the town council has also been awarded £75,000 from Sports England to help breathe new life into its 15-year-old skate park.
The current skate park, which is close to the swimming pool, will be replaced with a larger site as part of the development.
