Young people in Dursley are counting the days to the opening of the town’s new youth centre, called ‘the Vibe’.
The project has taken almost three years to complete and cost around £370,000.
Young people in the town have been without their own place for more than twice as long but on Friday, the Vibe will be unveiled to potential youth service providers followed by the official opening on Saturday.
Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl, who approved a £10,000 grant towards the project in 2013, said:
“I think it’s important for a town the size of Dursley to have a focus for young people. The Vibe can make an important contribution towards steering them in the right direction and creating a better environment.”
Dursley’s original purpose-built youth centre was built in the early 1980s on land leased from Stroud District Council. In 2006 the land on which the youth centre was based, along with the town’s neighbouring long stay car park and fire station site, were sold to Sainsbury’s so that a new supermarket could be built.
The youth centre was closed and demolished in 2008. A temporary youth centre operated out of the community centre in Dursley and Cam on one night a week.
Deputy Mayor Clare Nelmes said,
“We would like to thank the PCC for contributing to the development of the Vibe. It is a good example of how the new youth centre is working with a range of partners to support young people in our community.
“We look forward to continuing our work with the PCC and our local policing team into the future.”
