Youth project wins £5m lottery payout
The site of a former south Leeds school is to be transformed into a £5m "world class" facility for young people.
The new centre is to be built on the old Merlyn Rees High School site at Belle Isle, and will serve the needs of EVERY youngster living in the south of the city.
Funding for the massive project has come from myplace, a Government scheme run by the Big Lottery Fund, and is the biggest grant of its kind in the country.
The new complex will include sports courts, an arts studio and opportunities to have training in motorcycle repair and hairdressing.
There will also be chances for young people to receive careers advice, as well as confidential guidance on relationships and drug and alcohol education at the scheme.
John Paxton, head of Leeds City Council's youth service, said: "This will be a brilliant facility for all young people in south Leeds.
"We had only three months to put this bid together and it goes to show what can be achieved when local groups all work together.
"The youngsters who will use this service have been involved at every step of the planning process, the architects even agreed to change their designs after consulting them."
The only building currently left standing on the site is the old sports hall which is home to the Hub youth project, used by about 60 local youngsters.
Work on the new project is expected to get underway in nine months and should be completed in two years.
A competition will also be held giving people the chance to name the new site.
Ed Balls, Children and Young People's Secretary, said: "The vast majority of young people are good citizens, play by the rules and just want better things to do and places to go after school and at the weekend rather than hanging around in the street or in the local park.
"They enjoy getting involved in exciting projects such as myplace, so I hope that this scheme will help change the way communities view our young people."
Caroline James, Big Lottery Fund head for Yorkshire and Humber region, said: "This centre is an ambitious project to further improve an area of Leeds that has seen much improvement over the last few years.
"Leeds City Council's application clearly shows that there is a great drive for this project to really inspire young people in the area."
Craig Hall, 16, South Leeds representative for Leeds Youth Council, said: "I feel really proud to have been part of the bid and when it's been built and I can see other young people using it and having fun, I'll feel even prouder.
"Young people with problems and nowhere to go for help will have somewhere to go now and something to do – it'll keep them out of trouble."
Posted: Tuesday, December 02, 2008
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