More than 60 local people attended a public meeting in the former outdoor centre at Castle Douglas on Monday night to hear about big redevelopment plans for the building.
The event followed confirmation last week that Dumfries and Galloway Council will hand over the premises to Castle Douglas Development Forum on a 25-year lease.
The Lochside Park property will be renamed The Crannog Centre and completely refurbished into a community hub, activities base and wellbeing centre.
Speaking after the gathering, CDDF social media and communications officer Elizabeth McKee hailed the prospect of a revamped facility for the town and its residents.
She said: “The opening of Crannog Centre is immense for Castle Douglas.
“It will offer so much to the town, not just in relation to the activities but also the increase in visitors it will bring in for local businesses.
“It also offers more for the young people of Castle Douglas, which is a particularly vested interest of mine, as a young person myself.
“It will open up doors for us, as well as offer hobbies and different ways to spend our free time.”
The public took the chance to take a look around the building and learn more about the refurbishment before voicing their opinions at the meeting itself, which was attended by councillors Pauline Drysdale and Iain Howie as well as community councillors Colin Eade and Martin Fortnum, who is also chairperson of the community centre
board.
CDDF staff and trustees gave each person a strip of coloured stickers to place them beside activities listed on posters to indicate the things they’d most like to see happen in and around the centre.
The most popular choices were crazy golf, water-based activities, exercise classes and children’s cycling safety, along with recording studio, rehearsal spaces, and open mic nights.
CDDF trustee Keith Heron held a question and answer session with trustees vowing to keep the public informed of all developments through similar public meetings.
Elizabeth said: “The younger generation is the most important demographic for CDDF to consider in the transformation of the activity centre.
“We want young people to work with us to make important decisions and offer their opinion as the centre goes on its journey towards reopening.
“Young people need to feel invested in their town and know that their opinions matter, as they are the future.
“We have a young person’s ‘mini board’ for the development of Crannog – which is a team of volunteer young people who want to have a say.
“We welcome anyone who wants to be a part of it.”
The meeting ended with applause from the audience in appreciation of the hard work put in by the CDDF board members to acquire the building and adjacent land for and on behalf of the
community.
Any young person wishing to get involved with the The Crannog redevelopment can contact Elizabeth at media@castledouglas.info
