A brand new community centre could open in Wokingham later this Spring.
Wokingham Borough Council has selected Reading Repertory Theatre as the preferred operator for the Matthewsgreen Community Centre, built next door to St Cecilia’s Church of England Primary School.
Reading Repertory Theatre is a multi-award-winning professional theatre which delivers education and community engagement.
Work to build the centre was completed in early 2022. It has halls, offices, a kitchen and a toilet with changing facilities to serve the ‘new and expanded community’ of North Wokingham.
The council then invited organisations in September 2024 to bid as the operator of the centre, receiving seven applications.
Bidders included Building for the Future, Muslim Community Connect Wokingham, The Ark Trust and Places Leisure.
The council said the space could be transformed into a ‘vibrant community and cultural hub’ offering workshops, youth theatre groups and community driven programmes.
The centre would also offer rooms to hire for local people and organisations for meetings, events and celebrations.
Wokingham Borough Council said Reading Rep’s bid closely aligned with the authoriy’s vision to tackle local issues, including engaging with diverse communities, age groups and people with special educational needs.
Councillor Rachel Bishop-Firth, executive member for resident services, inclusion and fighting poverty said Reading Rep would deliver a ‘fantastic programme of community activities which would benefit people across the borough’.
The proposal will be discussed at the upcoming executive meeting on Thursday, January 30.
If approved by executive leaders, the new community centre could open later this Spring.
