Council to seek EU funding for £450k Ellesmere project
Shropshire Council will be looking for EU funding for its £450,000 information centre plan at one of the county's beauty spots.
The authority has asked companies to bid for the contract to build the centre at the Mere in Ellesmere, as part of plans to promote the location as ‘the’ outdoor recreation centre of "Shropshire’s Lake District".
It has now been confirmed that the authority intends to apply for EU funding for the project, after the tenders have been assessed.
Clare Fildes, Shropshire Council’s outdoor partnerships manager, said: “The café and information centre development relies on an external funding bid to EU funding being successful. The bid will be submitted once tenders are received, as costings are needed for the application. If this is successful, it is envisaged that the facility will be up and running by summer 2020.
“The ambition for the centre is to provide better all year round facilities for families at The Mere and to help secure income to invest in the park in the future.”
The tender document states: "Shropshire Council have an aspiration to make the Mere at Ellesmere one of the key visitor destinations in Northern Shropshire.
"Our aim is to develop and promote The Mere at Ellesmere Country Park as ‘The’ Outdoor Recreation Centre of Shropshire’s Lake District, by creating more outdoor recreational opportunities for visitors; delivering an all year-round family visitor/tourist destination at the Mere; increasing usage out of the main spring and summer seasons."
The tender has a deadline of February 7 and states: "The objective of this project is to design a café/space.
"The café will be a wooden structure and should be inspired with children in mind as the main end user and a place where adults can enjoy and engage in children’s play and development."
