Council wants Calderdale views on future of Halifax site

Calderdale Council has launched a public consultation seeking people’s views on the future of the Centre at Threeways in Halifax.
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Threeways was at the centre of controversy in the weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic, which saw the country go into lockdown when the council took back control of the centre, in Ovenden, while closing its sports centre.

The council said it had no choice but to close it due to serious site safety issues urgently and people’s safety was paramount.

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However, the charity said staff and trustees were shocked when council officers arrived at the Nursery Lane site – one of the biggest community asset transfers in the country when it was signed off in 2013.

Threeways was at the centre of controversy in the weeks before the Covid-19 pandemicThreeways was at the centre of controversy in the weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic
Threeways was at the centre of controversy in the weeks before the Covid-19 pandemic

The Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Strategy, Jane Scullion said the council is committed to the centre as a community resource, but it would not be an easy task.

“It’s an expensive building to maintain and operate, so future options are somewhat limited but we would welcome creative ideas from the community about how it can be adapted to secure its future for the years to come,” said Mr Scullion.

“In particular, we’d like to hear about people’s priorities. We’d be keen to hear what they feel is missing in their neighbourhood and how the centre could be used to meet their needs.”

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Former Directors of Centre at Threeways said they welcomed the council’s intention to maintain and build on the benefits achieved under their stewardship.

“Now is the time to move on and we would encourage everyone to champion our legacy by fully engaging with this consultation exercise so as to ensure that as public servants the council takes everyone’s wishes into account, and in doing that Centre at Threeways can once again become a place that truly serves and empowers people,” said the former directors.

Commenting on the situation, tenant Neil Capper, of the North Halifax Taekwondo club, which used the sports facilities, said tenants had not received help they had been promised by the council in the spring.

People give the council their views by visiting the Engage section of the council website (www.calderdale.gov.uk), by emailing [email protected] or by posting comments to Paul Rhodes, Regeneration & Strategy, Princess Buildings, Halifax, HX1 1TS, by the deadline of October 19.