Make your voice heard to keep community centre in place

Nov 27 2008 West Lothian Courier

AS people are aware there is a concerted effort from members of the community to support an option for refurbishing Livingston Station Community Centre.

We have carried on this resolutely as we believe, and still do, that the majority of local people would like the present unique 100 year-old community building preserved but also upgraded to provide a modern, fit to serve all users, interior.

This vision is completely viable as by the council’s own admission (eventually) the refurbishment of the building is completely within the budget allocated for this project.

Unfortunately, when I presented our case to the council executive the information was politely listened to and then promptly disregarded.

This has left us in the position of not knowing exactly what is going on. We have sent a letter to the council chair asking for clarification.

What we do know is that if plans for the new centre go ahead then the kick pitch currently used by a large number of local youngsters would be no more with no guaranteed timescale for a new one to be built.

Would it not be a better option to refurbish the current community building and, with the surplus money left in the allocated budget, also upgrade the one place that local youngsters actually use but which is also in need of serious upgrading?

You would think so, and we do too, but the council now need to know, more than ever, that this is not a minority opinion but a widely-shared view throughout the community.

We urge people to contact the local councillor and voice their opinion on this matter before it is too late and a part of Livingston Station’s history is reduced to a pile of rubble.

Alistair McKay,

Livingston Station Action Group