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NEW SPORTS PITCH AND CHANGING ROOMS OPENED

Following damage caused by the floods in the summer of 2007 the centre's main hall has undergone improvements . There is a new wooden floor with badminton court markings and space for functions attracting up to 120 people. On Saturday 24th November 2007 the revamped centre with a new sports facility was officially opened by Parmjit Dhanda MP and Andrew Gravells, Abbey Ward Councillor.

The new facility includes a third generation artificial pitch with floodlights plus changing rooms for teams, referees and disabled players. This was achieved via a grant from the Football Foundation and financial support from Gloucestershire County Council and Gloucester City Council. Abbeydale Community Association and Abbeymead Rovers FC also made significant financial contributions to enable the work to proceed.

The main hall now has access to the changing rooms for a range of indoor sports.

Mike Teesdale, Chairman of the Association said "Since opening in 1984 the community centre has successfully served many sections of the community. This reopening heralds a fundamental change in the centre's support for the community. We shall be a hub for a far wider range of groups and clubs especially local young people."

Sports Centre opens

Parmjit Dhanda MP and Andrew Gravells Abbey Ward Councillor opening the new pitch

At the opening Coun Andrew Gravells said "Sporting facilities in Abbeydale are now up there with the best that Gloucester has to offer and it's good to see what can be achieved when local people all work together this way. I wish we'd had facilities like this when I was a kid."

New Studio and Gallery constructed in 2010

The Community Association won a grant from Gloucester City Council of £100k in 2008 to construct an extension for youth and art related facilities. This grant together with a considerable proportion of the Association's reserves has allowed us to construct 'The Studio', a new room, linked to the Lindsey Room. In addition the construction works have allowed us to create the basic shell of a kitchen and the relocation of the Centre office downstairs by the new front door. In addition related refurbishment activities have been done in the Lindsey Room - where a new external door has been created and the room redecorated and a new external door into the Lounge too. The Studio opened in August 2010 and we are inviting art/youth related groups to contact us if they wish to rent this exciting space.

In 2009 the Community Association won a grant of £40k from Gloucestershire County Council to refurbish and make more accessible the upstairs area of the Centre. The existing two rooms - the old office and Committee Room have been combined into one bright open plan space - 'The Gallery'. The Gallery is again intended for art and youth related activities. Accessibility is improved by the installation of a wheelchair stairlift.

Brian Lyall