THE long-awaited Pulteneytown People’s Project community centre finally opens its doors to the public on Monday.
The new £3.4 million community hub in Wick is a multi-functional facility that will house community services, training, small businesses and a host of other activities to entertain and educate.
PPP’s chief executive officer, Katrina MacNab, said the Huddart Street premises will cater for all ages and urged locals to come along during the first week for a look around.
“The first week we can let people have a look around,” said Mrs MacNab. “People can come up, have a cup of coffee and ask the staff what is going on. We are providing services and amenities that are not in the local area at all.”
PPP previously operated out of five properties in Murchison Street with 26 members of staff.
The huge multi-room facility in Huddart Street houses closer to 40 staff and offers all the same activities and help as before – and more – all under one roof.
Built by local firm M.M. Miller, with electrical work being carried out by G.A. Barnie, the centre finished on time and ahead of budget.
With the remaining money Mrs MacNab hopes to get cinema equipment for a multi-use sports and function hall.
The local community that PPP serves played a massive part in the planning process. Members of existing groups were consulted on what they thought was needed in the new centre and their views were taken on board by the PPP directors.
This has resulted in an open-plan, fresh and inviting space with lots of separate activity rooms – with the added “green” advantage of having biomass heating.
For a group like PPP, which has expanded exponentially since it was founded in 2004 in a local council house, it was essential there was room to accommodate the 400 to 500 people that now use the service on a weekly basis.
The size of the new building will allow all these service users to enjoy a bit more space with plenty of room for more to join them.
The ground floor hosts a reception, multi-function sports hall with 120 bleacher seats, café, crèche, kids’ play area, youth lounge and art and training rooms.
The top floor houses PPP staff offices as well as a conference room, four office spaces for start-up businesses to rent, a training kitchen, a fully soundproofed band practice room and two large computer rooms.
Central to this new community hub will be the public café on the ground floor, which Mrs MacNab said is going for quality, affordable food over more standard fare.
“We decided not to go for cheap food but rather to have good-quality and affordable food,” she said.
“If we can get the café to be the hub then the rest of it will fall into place.”
Funding for the project came from a variety of sources including the Big Lottery, the Highland Council and Highlands and Islands Enterprise.
More information can be found at www.pulteneytownpeoplesproject.org.uk
