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New youth centre and library for South Ruislip
YOUTHS who complain of boredom will finally be given a break from the streets after plans were announced to build a young people's centre in South Ruislip.
The new youth centre will be built on the site formally used by Hillingdon School of Gymnastics, in Victoria Road.
Hillingdon Council have also outlined plans to build 35 flats, a new library and an adult education facility on the site of the current library, which is next to the gym.
The plans were first announced by the Leader of the Council, Councillor Ray Puddifoot, at the South Ruislip Residents' Association meeting on July 22.
He said: "These developments are about providing something for the whole community.
"We're building on the success that we've had with our new libraries in other areas of the borough and combining this with providing the opportunity for residents to get on the property ladder, as we did in Ruislip Manor.
"Providing a new youth centre will also give all young people in Hillingdon the chance to take part in a range of activities and really maximise this site as a community resource."
The new library will be larger and include a Starbucks café, improved opening hours and book stock.
A purpose built adult education facility will also be included in the development as well as new one-bedroom and two-bedroom flats above both the library and in between the library and the youth centre.
South Ruislip councillor, Allan Kauffman, said: "The plans are currently being drawn up and they need to go through planning but the development will be finished by April 2011.
"We originally had plans to build the new library in the car park next to Sainsbury's in Long Drive and the youth centre in Acol Crescent but we had major concerns from residents.
"When Swallows came up we decided to use that site and when we told the residents' association we had overwhelming approval for it, which was smashing.
"The youth centre will have all sorts of things in it, like cooking, a recording studio and a sports hall.
"The library is in a dilapidated state and it looks awful. The new one will be a replica of the library in Ruislip Manor.
"We do really care about what happens in South Ruislip and I just think it will be a big boost for the area."
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I was interested to read about the Council builing a new youth centre on the current Swallows gymnastics school site. This is all well and good but it does not help the hundreds of gymnasts who since April have not had anywhere local to train. How does re-locating a youth centre to this site help these children?? I am all for giving children and teenagers somewhere safe to meet and spend time but I feel strongly that the Swallows site should have been kept for the gymnasts and the youth centre relocated somewhere else in the borough.
Since Swallows closed on 3rd April my son, who is in the boys' squad, has had to travel all over the place in order to train. I have had to take him to Sudbury, Hayes, Hemel Hempstead and Erith in Kent just to get training in. Why do the council not feel it is important for the gymnasts who live in or near Ruilsip to have somewhere to train??
I would ask the Council to re-consider their decision to knock Swallows down. The gymnasts deserve a local place to train, especially with the 2012 Olympics on the horizon.
A Youth centre what for them to burn it down