Cranbrook’s first community building opening soon

The first community building in Cranbrook is now complete and the asset has been handed over to East Devon District Council which intends to open the doors to the Younghayes Centre in time for the community’s Hallowe’en pumpkin party.

Following a delay with the handover of the building due to legal technicalities, Councillor Paul Diviani, Leader of East Devon District Council, was today delighted to hear that the building now belongs to East Devon.

He said: “Thank the Lord! Every day a false hope dawned but at long last we have the keys to the doors of the Younghayes Centre and Cranbrook has its community building. To all who have laboured mightily to achieve this resolution, a heartfelt thanks. To everyone in our community, gratitude for your patience and for the business users, I’m sure it will be a mighty relief to see the opportunities crystallise”.

Designed as the central hub of the new community, the Younghayes Centre as it will be called will provide the residents in the first phase of the community with much-needed community space where they can hold exercise classes, toddler groups or talk to their Community Development Worker. The Younghayes Centre will also be the location of the first doctors’ surgery in Cranbrook and the new home of the Growth Point Team.

Corena Ward, Community Development Worker at Cranbrook, said: “This is great news for the residents as they have been planning their Pumpkin Party for Hallowe’en; the Younghayes Centre is opening just in time. This is what they have been waiting for, a proper space where the community can come together.”

Rev Mark Gilborson, Minister for Cranbrook, added: “The community spirit that has been fostered so far at Cranbrook is absolutely fantastic and I’m delighted that the community infrastructure to support what has already been achieved in now coming into place”.

The Younghayes Centre, which is part-funded through Growth Point funding and developer contributions, was always viewed by East Devon District Council as an essential ingredient in the fledgling community. The 820 sqm of community space inside a BREAMM Excellent building has been designed to be modern and multi-functional, with a layout that could be easily reconfigured as the needs of the community change.

Mike Owen, Project Manager on behalf of New Community Partners, the consortium of house builders behind Cranbrook, said: “We are absolutely delighted that this key asset has been transferred over and look forward to it being at the very heart of the new community. We are very proud to have been able to work with all of our partners and especially the Growth Point Board in bringing this to fruition”.

The Cranbrook Community Forum are Calling all witches, ghosts and goblins in Cranbrook to come and join in their Pumpkin Parade through the streets of Cranbrook on Thursday 31 October 2013 at 5pm.

Fancy dress is optional. However prizes will be given for the best dressed girl/boy (in age categories) and for the best pumpkin, followed by hot dogs and hot chocolate to be served at the Younghayes Centre after the parade. Children must be accompanied by adults.