A STAND-IN community centre is currently being constructed and will open in Whitley next month.
The Whitley Wood Community Centre is to be replaced after a survey found it was would be deemed unsound in the near future.
Reading Borough Council has installed a temporary centre in Lexington Grove to maintain services during the rebuild of the site at the junction of Swallowfield Drive and Copenhagen Close.
A plan to create a new community hub was mooted in 2007, but shelved due to austerity measures in place at the time.
Cllr Micky Leng (Labour, Whitley) said: “We felt as councillors, we marched our residents up to the top of a hill on a new community centre and it didn’t happen, due to austerity coming in and budgets.
“We’ve given our word as councillors that this will go ahead and this was our way as councillors saying to residents that you will get a temporary one so there is something physical there for you to use and its better than the one you’ve got.”
While there is the South Reading Community Hub in Northumberland Avenue, which provides a range of services, it can be difficult to get to for people who rely on public transport.
Cllr Alice Mpofu-Coles (Labour, Whitley) explained: “If you live further south, it means you have to take two buses.
“If you have a disability, and you are thinking: I’m on my own and I want my independence, I can do other things but I struggle when I need to get two buses to get to the South Reading Community Hub.
“Ironically, it can take someone over an hour just to get from one place to another. It’s very near if you look at it on a map, but far for people with difficulties.”
Cllr Mpofu-Coles stressed that ‘co-production’ with neighbours is one of the most important in crafting facilities and council services, which includes both the temporary community centre site and the new permanent centre coming in the future.
She also said residents wanted a centre with facilities for everyone, from birth to the oldest residents.
“Loneliness is one of those things that affects many people, because they don’t have a place to go to have a cup of coffee or have a chat with someone,” she continued. “It affects mums and dads. They need a place where they can look forward to going to.
“We listened to that, and this temporary structure will have some facilities that will cater for that.”
Work on creating a new community centre is now starting, in consultation with neighbours and ward councillors including cllr Rachel Eden, who also represents the area.
Cllr Leng said: “That project starts now, the designs, the decisions, what residents want to see on the new centre, is there an alternative site that could be used, all these things will be looked at.”
The temporary centre is due to open on Sunday, March 24.
