Gladstone Community Centre in Peterborough given £376,000 boost

A popular community centre in Peterborough is set to be transformed following a huge funding boost.

Gladstone Community Centre, in Bourges Boulevard, will be extensively refurbished after Peterborough City Council received a grant of £376,000 from the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority (CPCA), as part of its Shared Prosperity Fund.

The funds will be used to update the venue’s venue decor, flooring and kitchen to help bring the building in line with current fire safety regulations. The work is due to be completed in May.

Councillor Alison Jones, Cabinet Member for Communities and Housing, said: “We’re delighted that we can now refurbish this popular facility which is used by over 800 people a week for a variety of sports and youth activities. However, the centre is in real need of a re-vamp, having gone several years since its last refurbishment.

“I would like to thank the CPCA for working with us and giving us this donation which will help us modernise this much-loved facility and expand its use for the local community. We will be making an announcement very soon on the building’s future use, which will have a really positive impact for the community.”

Peterborough MP Andrew Pakes, said: “The Gladstone Community Centre is such a well-loved and much-used centre that means so much to many communities in the city. This £376,000 grant is a major boost and testament to the hard-work of community leaders, Labour councillors and Labour Mayor.

“The grant will go a long way to bringing facilities at the centre up-to-date and making the centre an even better hub of community life. Well done to everyone involved.”

CPCA Mayor Dr Nik Johnson, said: "These centres are at the heart of our communities so I'm really pleased that the UK Shared Prosperity Fund is re-furbishing and modernising these crucial facilities. This support will ensure that Peterborough residents can fully benefit from these spaces, bringing everyone together and really installing that community spirit."

Funding has also been awarded by Connecting Cambridgeshire to help with the refurbishment work which will involve an upgrade of Wi-fi facilities and public access to wi-fi from the community centre.

Some of the key facilities that are valued within the centre are the recreational, sporting, spacious event facilities and extensive parking capacity that are offered to a diverse range of groups and visitors.

This facility is multi-cultural and can be used for sports activities, conferences, meetings, weddings and many other types of events. It includes a large sports hall, an astro turf pitch, five and nine-aside outdoor pitches; two tennis courts, a recreational room, four meeting rooms and a kitchen.

The centre will be partially closed whilst the refurbishment work is carried out and staff will contact anyone whose bookings are affected.