Oakengates Wakes centre to get major revamp

The town council has been given £150,000 as part of the £2 million legacy fund, and will spend it on refurbishing The Wakes community centre.

The work will range from rendering external walls and creating a wall mural to installing new windows and doors.

Additionally, there are plans for the purchasing and installation of canopies in the square outside The Wakes, which will enable this to be used for many different community activities, outdoors under shelter.

The bandstand in nearby Hartshill Park will also undergo a major refurbishment, to provide electricity, an upgraded roof, ceiling, painting and much more.

This will allow it to host more events and attract many more people into Oakengates.

Work at The Wakes and the Bandstand in Hartshill Park will be carried out over the coming months.

Oakengates Town Council is also putting £20,163 towards these projects in match funding.

Councillor Steve Reynolds, Mayor of Oakengates Town Council said: “The Wakes centre and Hartshill Park are right at the very heart of our Oakengates community and as such, of great importance to our residents who continuously use these facilities.

“The refurbishment work which is about to be carried out thanks to the Telford 50 Legacy Fund will make a real difference, with The Wakes set to become an even more attractive and welcoming venue and the park to host a significantly improved bandstand, as one of its main attractions.

“All these improvements help us support our community long into the future – that’s why they make such a great legacy of Telford 50.”

Councillor Shirley Reynolds, Telford & Wrekin Council cabinet member, said: “In deciding how the Telford 50 legacy fund would be most beneficial, we have asked communities what they want and need – and they chose the refurbishment of community buildings and facilities as a key theme.

“The Wakes and the bandstand are great examples of how re-invigorating facilities at the very heart of a community helps to boost the area and to preserve them as key places for community activities for many years to come.”

The £2 million Telford 50 Legacy Fund supports a mix of physical schemes as well as other projects that help tackle key social issues in the borough and reduce demand on council services.