First look at design for £6m youth centre for Wolverhampton
This striking image shows what a new £6 million youth centre for thousands of children and teenagers in Wolverhampton will look like.
The purpose-built centre, which is being backed by Wolves owner Steve Morgan, would offer a wide range of activities, including sport, fitness, dance, arts, music, media and self-improvement for those between the ages of eight and 19.
It is being built on the site of Wolverhampton's former iconic Scala cinema.
Plans are currently being drawn up for the development which would be built on land between School Street, Worcester Street and Little Brickkiln Street, and it is hoped that construction could begin next year, with the centre opening for the first time in 2015.
Plans drawn up by HB Architects show an impressive two-storey building, featuring a four-court sports hall with facilities for indoor tennis, badminton, football, netball and basketball and a separate climbing wall. There will also be a fitness suite with the latest gym equipment and two outdoor multi-use games areas.
The centre will also have an outdoor recreation area, kitchen and café area selling healthy food and drink, multi-purpose areas for dance, music, arts and crafts, gaming and DJ-ing, martial arts and boxing facilities.
There will be a Chill Out zone for relaxing, eating, drinking and entertainment and recreation area with pool table, small games and table football. Meanwhile, quiet rooms will be used to offer mentoring support, counselling, advice and enterprise activities.
Wolverhampton City Council, The Morgan Foundation and the charity OnSide have been instrumental in setting up the Wolverhampton Youth Zone charity, which is behind the plans.
Mr Morgan, chairman of The Morgan Foundation which was set up to help charitable organisations, said: "This is a tremendous opportunity to make a really positive contribution to the lives of young people within Wolverhampton and the surrounding areas.
"The Morgan Foundation is delighted to be working with Wolverhampton City Council and OnSide in helping to bring it forward."
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