The Lakeland Youth Centre in Enniskillen that is due to be demolished.
FERMANAGH is to get a brand new £1.3m youth centre to be built on the site of the existing Lakeland Youth Centre at Wellington Road, Enniskillen, near the Ulsterbus depot.
Last week, planning permission was sought for the demolition of the present building and the construction of a new, up to date, two-storey facility.
Once permission is granted, construction is due to start in May next year and will last approximately one year.
There are currently 88 registered youth groups in the Fermanagh region, and it is envisaged that these young will be able to avail of the new facilities.
The present building, which is almost 20 years old, was purchased by the Western Education and Library Board (WELB) in 1993 from the Irish Foresters. The board subsequently undertook alternations and renovations to convert the building into a Youth Centre.
The official opening took place on 23 November 1994 by Sue Hogg, then chairman of the Board’s youth committee.
The centre has operated most evenings, offering a range of programmes supervised by WELB Youth Workers.
Numerous activities and events take place throughout the year, including music events, courses, training sessions, youth and community workshops as well as many ad hoc and seasonal events.
The Centre is also home to the local Area Youth Office and is an administrative base for full-time Youth Workers.
A spokesman for the Western Board welcomed the news of the £1.3 million investment from the Department of Education.
She went on: “This capital investment will enable the Youth Service to demolish the existing Lakeland Youth Centre on Wellington Road, and construct a purpose-built Youth Centre on the existing site.”
She said the new building will provide ground floor space accommodation that incorporates a reception, coffee bar, internet café, meeting room and function space. The first floor accommodation will provide for three offices, a conference room and a gallery.
The spokesman added: “The ethos of the Youth Centre will be to provide a safe, welcoming and natural environment which contributes to the vision of every young person achieving to his or her full potential at each stage of his or her development.
“The new building will also act as administration hub for youth service personnel in the Fermanagh Area and the local Youth Office for registered groups.”
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