Broadwater Farm Community Centre is currently undertaking a consultation exercise regarding current and future use of the Community Centre. They would like to know by April 20th what your views are on how best to deliver services for the community at the Centre now, and what additional activities you would like to see in the Centre in the future.
The Council are planning to build a new Integrated Learning Campus for the schools on the north of the Broadwater Farm estate. Regarding the Centre hey are considering whether to a. annexe it, or b. demolish and rebuild it, or c. scrap it, or d. just leave it as it is.
There are lots of concerns about this among local residents as the Centre was only built after many years and a great deal of campaigning and effort from the local community. But the Council wants to reduce the financial cost of maintaining and staffing such a large building.
As far as the future of Lordship Rec is concerned, the LRUF have already made it clear that key facilities and services for the regeneration of Lordship Rec are due to be provided from the Centre, and cannot be provided in the park: eg. sports supervision, changing rooms, industrial kitchen, conference rooms, large hall, and general all-purpose public facilities and staffing by the park. The successful regeneration of the park depends on such facilities and services, and therefore losing them is not an option, nor is moving them further away from the entrance into the park. There are also concerns that if some sort of new community facilities were built as part of the integrated campus there would be problems over community access and the ability to develop independent community initiatives, activities and projects.
It is very important that the community speak out with their views. You can respond to the consultation by 20th April via – www.haringey.gov.uk/broadwaterfarmcommunitycentreconsultation or by picking up a form at the Centre.
Statement from Haringey Council:
Broadwater Farm Community Centre has provided recreational, educational and social activities for local people and neighbouring communities since 1992.
We want to provide the best services we can but we need to look at the way services are organised in the future. Broadwater Farm Community Centre is probably one of the largest Centres in the borough. We need a lot of investment to maintain it’s current standard and to make essential repairs. At present it requires a yearly Council subsidy of around £300,000 just to keep it running.
The Council is committed to providing excellent community services for this area. However, we must do this in a way which makes best use of our resources and is the most cost effective.
We also want to let you know that there are two developments taking place in the Broadwater Farm area – the Inclusive Learning Campus and the proposed regeneration of Lordship Recreational Grounds which will bring great benefits to the community. These developments may help us to make decisions about the future of the Community Centre.
Have Your Say
We started consultation on Tuesday 17 February 2009. We held meetings with stakeholders in the community and held discussions with community representatives. We want to ask you your views on how best to deliver services from the Community Centre in the future. We would also like to know how you currently use the Centre and what services and activities you would like the Centre to provide now and in later years.
Your views are very important to us so we have arranged for you to contact us in the following ways:
- You can complete our online questionnaire: www.haringey.gov.uk/broadwaterfarmcommunitycentreconsultation
- Hard copies of the questionnaire will be available in the Community Centre. The Community Centres address is: Broadwater Farm Community Centre, Adams Road, N17 6HE
- The printed questionnaire can be emailed back to us at at haveyoursay@haringey.gov.uk
- Or posted back to us with any other comments you may have to the Consultation Team at the freepost address below. Send all printed and emailed copies back to:
Consultation Team, Freepost NAT 20890, PO Box 264, London N22 8BR.
Please also use this address if you need a copy of the questionnaire in large type or in another format. Alternatively you can email us at haveyoursay@haringey.gov.uk or contact us by telephone on 020 8489 2958.
Don’t miss out! Please let us have your views by Monday 20 April 2009.