Ealing Council confirms refurbishment of Southall Young Adult Center to start on May 30 – EALING.NEWS – The Voice of Ealing 7 towns

After being saved from demolition in 2022 following a campaign by Ealing Young Champions and their supporters, Ealing Council has confirmed that work to refurbish Southall’s Young Adults Center (YAC) will begin on 30 May 2024 .

The contract for the £1.9m refurbishment has been awarded to G&V Contracts Ltd and is due to be completed by 13 November 2024.

Councilor Kamaljit Nagpal, cabinet member for a fairer start, said: “It was a real honor to sign this contract. YAC is a much valued and important asset to the community and contributes so much to the lives of young people in Southall. And the approach we’re taking to redevelopment has been informed by the young people who use it. I am so pleased that we are securing his future in Southall.”

In a statement, Ealing Council added: “As part of the redesign process, young people who use YAC have been actively involved in discussions and decisions about the design of the centre. They also provided their feedback on the programs and activities they would like to see delivered from their center when it reopens later this year.”

Two years ago campaigners from Young Ealing Champions along with their supporters lobbied the council and attended a council meeting to argue the need to keep the YAC.

In September 2022, the leader of Ealing Council, Councilor Peter Mason, said: “Young people in Southall came together to make it clear that they wanted to keep YAC where it is and, after our recent engagement and much thought, we agree. “

Councilor Mason added: “To every young person who has raised their voice on such an important issue, we say: ‘We have listened to your thoughts on the plans for a new youth center in Southall, we understand your concerns and how of importance Southall. The youth center is for you and we agree that we should stay there. Not only that, but now we want to work with you to make YAC even better and find a way to put it in your hands for good, forever.”

Since being notified in 2021 of Ealing Council’s intention to close the popular young people’s centre, Ealing Young Champions, whichwas assisted by the Young Ealing Foundation, they mobilized in person and on social media through the hash tag #SaveTheYAC.

The Young Ealing Foundation is a charity which brings together the public, private and voluntary sectors to help and improve the lives of children and young people in Ealing.

A petition to save the young adult center had over 1,500 signatures and was debated by the Council at their cabinet meeting on 19 October 2021.

Members of Ealing Young Champions and their supporters staged a protest outside the Town Hall and gave an impassioned speech at the cabinet meeting to tell councilors they were wrong to consider demolishing it.

Young Ealing champion Lily Connolly Woods, 18, presented the petition to councilors at the cabinet meeting.

On hearing that Ealing Council would not be demolishing the YAC, Lily said at the time: “Aafter all our hard work I I am overjoyed by the council’s decision to keep YAC open. Iit is clear that center is needed in the community and II’m glad that the young people from Sowe will end up keeping this pillar in the local area”

Elly Heaton, Chief Executive, Young Ealing Foundation previously said: “wWe are absolutely delighted that Ealing Council listened to the Ealing Young Champions and took the decision to keep the Young Adults Center open for generations to come. We look forward to working with them to ensure that the Young Adult Center continues to thrive as a community centre, provide a safe space for young people and it is an asset that the community can continue to use for the long-term future.”

Dr Lynne Guyton, chief executive of John Lyon’s Charity, also said at the time: “Over the last 18 months we have campaigned to save YAC as a key youth club for children and young people in Ealing. Having contacted Ealing Council to help them understand what a critical resource and part of the club’s social fabric, I am delighted that the Council has decided to keep the YAC open and fully supported. “

Dr Guyton added: “More than ever, in the wake of COVID and in the midst of a cost of living crisis, youth clubs like YAC are a guiding light for many young people bringing different communities together by providing sporting activities. , clubs and a safe space for those at risk of violence and crime.”

In June 2022, a local Southall campaigner to save YAC, Minni Dogra wrote: “The site has been used for educational and youth facilities since the early 1970s. Many of us (who had nothing) grew up in Southall using Southall Youth Center (SYC). It was a well-located safe space then and continues to be so. The center is fully supported by providing various facilities. Groups, organizations and individuals offering activities at SYC are currently being turned away as closure is imminent. I too have volunteered my time to support and teach English as a second language. We need to bring these issues out into the open and Ealing Council need to understand that SYC facilities for our young people are far more important than their stingy need to give up our valuable facilities and land to develop yet more housing for which there is no support in the community.”