Are community centres a thing of the past?

By Mike Field

In the not too-distant past, Liverpool had cinemas and swimming pools in many localities, thriving youth and community centres and hopes of a progressive future. The decades of decay, and communities struggling against increasing poverty in urban environments has quite understandably led to increasing apathy.

The Liverpool Echo’s ‘Stop the Rot’ campaign has highlighted the lack of respect for buildings such as the Irish Centre on Mount Pleasant. In the mid-1990’s, this was a busy community centre catering to diverse tastes-from traditional Irish Cailidhs to D.J Emile’s ‘Totem’ raves. Despite the passion and the protests, this beautiful building was closed up and all for all that it could be, it’s rotting before our eyes.
The Council are currently in negotiation with the leaseholder; the communities that once socialised there have been dispersed.

A spokesperson from the Land Registry and Regeneration Department of Liverpool City Council told me that originally entitled the Wellington Rooms, the building’s historical purpose was for public meetings and the Council wish that to be itís future use. Hopefully, the investment that is serving the city centre so well, can begin to trickle up to the hill and regenerate the public spaces, such as the Irish Centre and the old Rodney Youth and Community Centre on Myrtle Street. Left to become run down after closing four years ago, the council put it up for sale after turning down an offer of £100.000 from the Turkish and Kurdish community who wanted to turn it into an International Centre for Liverpool’s older and newer communities. After months of effort by the Turkish and Kurdish Community the offer was rejected and then the council put it up for sale. Despite that they let it out during the Biennial. Its potential as a social centre is obvious to me from my visit during the festival.

As this is my local community centre I enquired as to whether elected councillors can sell a social centre without any consultation with its communities. There is no legal obligation on the council to consult their electorate. Little wonder the voting turnouts are low! On discussing the matter on Radio Merseyside’s Roger Phillip’s phone-in, the subject grew into the need for rejuvenating our city’s community spaces. ‘State of the Art’ Social Centres could be as integral as schools and health centres in building a greater sense of integration and community solidarity.

You may be thinking ‘I can’t be bothered with community centres’ but whatever you think they hold memories, often warm, happy memories of old friends together’, of special nights’, of our own culture. One night I had the pleasure of witnessing a community putting on a live ‘Stars in their Eyes’, including hilarious short films. I like the idea of transforming T.V formats into live community entertainment.
In Italy the lack of free public spaces led to communities taking over empty buildings and warehouses and turning them into community cafes, cinemas, bars and space for meetings and gigs. There are 36 spaces in Milan alone.

People across Liverpool are continuing to provide inspiring examples of our community culture. Youth workers, Artists and Community Activists at the Blackie, Rice Lane City Farm, the Rotunda, the Yellow House, the Phoenix, Kirby Unemployed centre, Toxteth Town Hall and many more are continuing to strive for better, even in the face of economic adversity.

The regeneration of community centres across the city would improve the city’s bid for Capital of Culture and more importantly create an infrastructure that could have an uplifting effect on communities that at present have no space to come together. ‘Beacon’ community centres could be places where people of all ages could make films, music, comedy, dances, fashion shows and have the space to perform and exhibit our art directly to our communities. To enhance local democracy community centres could house the political discussions of the electorate – for people of all faiths and none. If the same ‘will and money’ were available to regenerate our community centres as has been given to doing up pubs and supermarkets then we would all be laughing.

What do you think?