Help save Bacup Leisure Hall

catherine watson · 25-01-10, 12:34

A COMMUNITY group is making an urgent appeal for volunteers to come forward to join a board to take over running Bacup Leisure Hall.
The future of the Rossendale Council-owned facility on Burnley Road has been uncertain since a review of leisure facilities was undertaken in January 2009.
Irwell Springs Community Association, with help from enterprise support group PEER, has put together a business plan and held meetings with Rossendale Council to try to reach an agreement over the future running of the building.
This Friday, 29 January, there will be a meeting at the hall from 5.30pm for anyone who is interested in getting involved with the organisation, which has been set up to run and manage the hall and hopefully attract funding to secure its future.
Leader of Rossendale Dog Training Club Dave East, who is also chairman of the community association, said: "All the user groups of the hall are committed to keeping it open, but we cannot do that without the support of the local people.
"We need a good mixture of skills and abilities on the organising group so that we have the capability to really take the hall forward and make it into the successful operation it could and should be.
"Please do not come forward after it is too late. We need people to offer their help now so that the hall will be available for everyone to use in the future. We do not want Bacup to lose another facility."
For more information contact Doug Spencer on 07815 455042 or email doug@spencerfire.co.uk

shelly · 25-01-10, 21:18

besides the dog training, what other groups will be affected if the hall closes?

spooks · 25-01-10, 22:56

they have bowling during the day, theres a squash court there, i think they have a tea dance as well once a month ..

after that im not sure ..

Spencerfire · 27-01-10, 14:03

Shelly,

Current user groups are: The Dog Club, The indoor bowlers, Archers, tea / ballroom dancers. Also using the hall are: National Blood Service, squash and badminton players, the Rossendale Players as well as private functions including Councillor Eaton's functions and meals for the elderly.

Quite a few people will lose out if the hall closes.

Please come along to the informal meeting on Friday, starts at 5:30 at the hall and have a look at the future plans.

Cheers,
Doug Spencer

ICE · 27-01-10, 19:17

We wanted to put music events on there a couple of years ago but it was dammed expensive hiring out the place.

catherine watson · 03-02-10, 11:02

Fountain cash to help save leisure hall
A FIGHTING fund set up to secure the future of Bacup Leisure Hall has received a boost of nearly £1,700.
At a committee meeting on Tuesday (2 February), the newly named Bacup Community Association elected officers and agreed a business plan to try to keep the facility open.
And the first money into the fighting fund has been agreed with the transfer of £1,688, which was given to a previous campaign to restore the fountain in Bacup town centre.
Rossendale Council ordered a review into its leisure facilities last January after Rossendale Leisure Trust requested a huge increase in its grant to run the existing sports and leisure centres. As a result the future of the large hall on Burnley Road was thrown into doubt.
A successful appeal for volunteers last week led to a meeting on Tuesday when Dave East, leader of Rossendale Dog Training Club, was elected chairman of the community association with Rod Smith vice-chairman, Kieran Durkin secretary and Greg King treasurer.
Dave said: "We are planning to use the hall as a venue for a charity fund-raising night to help raise money. As well as beginning to fund-raise, we are also asking residents of Rossendale to help us to rename the hall. We want to give the place a new and secure future, to get away from the centre being considered a council facility and we believe a new identity will go a long way to achieving that aim.
"We are asking people to make suggestions for a new name and send them to Bacup Community Association, c/o 16 Zion Street, Bacup, OL13 9LT.
"We are having a logo for the association designed by students at Burnley College. We hope this is going to be the start of a brighter future for the hall which the council’s own cultural review found to be the authority’s third most used leisure facility, after Rossendale Museum and Marl Pits."
The volunteers are now hoping the Leisure Hall steering group meeting next Tuesday 10 February will accept their bid and when the budget meeting is held later this month the council will agree to keep the hall open while the new group agrees a way forward with the authority.
For more information contact Dave East on 07967 393345.

bacuplad · 03-02-10, 12:46

The People Of Bacup Were That Interested In saving Their Facility They Stayed At Home In Their Droves !!

Very Sad

bacuptimes · 03-02-10, 15:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by bacuplad

The People Of Bacup Were That Interested In saving Their Facility They Stayed At Home In Their Droves !!

Very Sad

Perhaps, too many remember the other " lets save " for instance buy a brick to save Bacup Baths, and many many people are still left wondering were exactly did all that brick money go?. Then there was save the fountain. It is as you say very sad.

catherine watson · 03-02-10, 20:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by bacuptimes

Perhaps, too many remember the other " lets save " for instance buy a brick to save Bacup Baths, and many many people are still left wondering were exactly did all that brick money go?. Then there was save the fountain. It is as you say very sad.

As I reported before I left the Free Press the some £6,000 in the buy a brick appeal was given to Bacup Swimming Club to be used to further facilities and equipment for young swimmers.

I am sorry if you missed that story but I did report it and can assure you that the money is now being put to extremely good use.

It is good to see people trying to do there best to keep facilities in Bacup, let's face it if we don't do this who will? The A, B and D Centre, Royal Court Theatre, Pioneer Gym and Community Club, 2nd Rossendale Scout Hall - who is is that owns, runs and maintains these... us.

vicbfc · 03-02-10, 21:04

I know this is an outsiders view (im from Rawtenstall).

I think a lot of people think they won't make any difference if they protest or make their feelings noted.

A lot people think that decisions made by the powers to be, are done and dusted and cannot be changed. They think well whats the point, whatever we do won't make any difference. So were wasting our time trying to do something about it.

Thats my opinion for whats it worth