27 March 2013

YMCA Black Country Group today announced that funding had been secured to complete the £9m redevelopment of their centre in Carters Green West Bromwich, which will give the area a dramatic makeover for the 21st Century.

The charity, which is 125 years old this year, provides health and fitness facilities, housing, day nurseries, training, and youth activities. It has occupied its Carters Green Centre next to Farley’s Clock Tower since the 60s.

This significant location has been identified as a key ‘Gateway’ area for West Bromwich, as it is the first major building people see into West Bromwich from the A41 Wolverhampton to Birmingham.

Heralding the plans for services to the local community, Steve Clay, YMCA Chief Executive Officer said:

“I am thrilled to be able to announce that we have now secured all the pieces of the jigsaw for the investment in the area to go ahead.

“The YMCA has been meeting community needs for 125 years – starting off in Edward Street, and now for over half a century from our current site on Carters Green. Over that time, we have worked hard to deliver the services people want, and have developed the site accordingly. But the high quality of services we provide is not reflected in the state of our buildings and so the brand new, purpose-built 21st-century facility for the whole community is what will be developed.”

The YMCA Western Gateway Redevelopment will enable the charity to improve all the services that is currently delivered. The modern facilities include a purpose-built day nursery which opened in 2011.

An extended gym and fitness centre, refurbished and new modern apartments and Enterprise units to encourage new start-up businesses are all included in the plans which will set the charity up for serving the community for the next 125 years.

It is being developed in a partnership with Sandwell Council and the Homes and Communities Agency (HCA) and is being supported with a funding package that includes funding from YMCA Black Country Group, the HCA and the Black Country Local Enterprise Partnership. Assad Hamed, Area Manager at the HCA said: “We have worked with partners over the past year to get a design layout that was appropriate for the YMCA redevelopment that represented a prominent Gateway into West Bromwich. I am delighted that our investment has been instrumental in providing support to deliver the much-needed regeneration of the YMCA centre in West Bromwich.”

Work is starting on-site with immediate effect, however careful consideration has been given to enable all the services to continue on site throughout the two year period.

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