Council puts the record straight on Hub concerns

We would like to repond to the letter published in The Lurgan Mail on August 23, entitled ‘Don’t let the new hub go to waste’ and give some background information about Brownlow Community Hub.

The £3m Brownlow Community Hub replaces the three former community centres (Ardowen, Drumgor and Moyraverty) and was built on time and within budget.

With its webpage www.brownlowcommunityhub.co.uk and facebook page www.facebook.com/brownlowhub, you can see at a glance all the current activities and upcoming events, as well as contact details and how to enrol for classes.

The Hub is very popular with over 73,000 people through its doors in its first 11 months

There is a varied programme of weekly/daily activities on offer including Pre-school Playgroup, CBC Afterschools Club, Surestart, Church Youths Groups, Prayer Group, Celebration Church, Wade Training, Slimming Groups, and Health and fitness Classes, Children & Youth Drama & Dance, Senior Citizens bowls and local Bowling Clubs.

With a number of community groups meeting on a regular basis including the Craigavon Travellers Association, Portuguese Community Group, Polish Community Group, Chinese Community Group, Parkmore Residents Group, Drumgor Residents Group, Larkfield Residents Group and Brownlow Festival Committee, the Hub is truly a multicultural meeting place.

The Hub is also used by no less than 18 voluntary groups and works closely with the Southern Health and Social Care Trust and is starting another Health, Wealth and Fitness programme at the end of September for the over 50’s living in the Brownlow and Central Craigavon area.

During the summer months of July and August the Hub ran three 3 summer schemes, the Craigavon Borough Council Summer Scheme, Shine Summer Scheme and Craigavon and Banbridge Women’s Aid Summer Scheme as well as a 5- day Children with Disabilities Arts and Crafts Workshop.

The Hub is also recognised as a registered Changing Place Facility, first for the Craigavon area. This was one of the key issues raised by local community groups during the consultation stage so that a number of disability groups now use the Hub on a regular basis.

With birthday parties, christenings, communions, Christmas and wedding receptions and local business staff training venue, the Hub is as originally planned a true centre of activity and is a credit to the Brownlow and Central Craigavon community and to Craigavon Borough Council.