The £1 million transformation of Oakridge West Community Centre will be officially unveiled at a Basingstoke community open day on Saturday 14 November.
Local residents have been invited to see the improvements to the Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council-owned centre in Upton Crescent, which have made it more modern, sustainable and accessible.
Visitors can meet the trustees and volunteers who run the centre, find out about hiring the facilities and share their ideas for new activities, events and services to help meet the needs of the local community.
The Mayor of Basingstoke and Deane Cllr Jacky Tustain will officially reopen the community building, with activities for children taking place during the event from 2pm to 5pm.
Work to transform the community centre started early this year and has been funded through money from development. Improvements include a more open and welcoming entrance lobby and the remodelling of the two large halls to make them more flexible for a range of community activities.
The centre has also benefited from environmentally friendly upgrades, including solar panels, heat pumps and LED lighting.
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Cllr John McKay, cabinet member for communities, partnerships and inclusion, said: “The improvement work has given the community centre a new lease of life and transformed the building into a modern, sustainable space that can be enjoyed by more people.
“The open day is a fantastic opportunity for local people to see the changes first-hand, meet the volunteers who run the centre and have their say on how it can best serve the community.”
Lesley Wilson, chair of Oakridge West Community Association, said: “We are delighted with the improvements and can’t wait to show people around at our open day on Saturday.
“This is a really exciting time for the centre and the community, and it’s really important that local people play a part in shaping the activities and services we provide to help create a thriving community space.”
