Telford project's big leap forward is child's play
The regeneration of The Gower in St Georges is taking a major step forward on June 9 with the official opening of a children's play park at the site.
It will be celebrated with a summer extravaganza organised by the Gower Heritage & Enterprise Foundation, a charity which is aiming to bring the Victorian building - which was earmarked for demolition - back into community use.
For many years the landmark building in Gower Street served as a youth club and before that was a school.
The fun day runs from 11am to 4pm and will include a barbecue, Punch and Judy, face painter, "owl man," magician, children's disco and bouncy castle.
Music will come from Telford Music School and solo singer Just Chris.
Stephen Handley, one of the organisers, said: "The official opening of the play park will be done by a couple of players from Telford Tigers. Unfortunately head coach Tom Watkins, who was going to do it, can't now.
"It has taken a lot of volunteering hours to regenerate the play park, which had been left to deteriorate over the years, but now it is a fantastic area.
"A lot of work has gone into this project for the children of the community to enjoy. The Gower Heritage & Enterprise Foundation is looking for volunteers to come forward to help run the play area.
"The opening of the play park is a major part in the regeneration of The Gower, which is the next phase for the Gower group and we continue to work hard at this for the community. We all work as a team and always look for new members.
"The Gower and the play park will be a great venue for the community to enjoy, both inside and outside."
The foundation stone of the building was laid on April 25, 1873, and it was, speeches at the ceremony make clear, conceived as a Lilleshall Company Hospital for those injured in pit accidents and industrial accidents.
If it ever served as a hospital - and there is a question mark over whether it did - it was according to a researcher already being used as a school by 1879 and then became a youth club in the early 1960s.
It closed as a youth centre around 2004 or 2005 and fell into disrepair and was due to be demolished, but in 2014 was saved for the community after a local campaign and granted Grade Two listing by English Heritage.
