New community centre opens up in Hertsmere

A new community centre has opened up in Borehamwood, it has been announced.

Described as the 'vibrant heart of the village', the centre contains a library, Elstree and Borehamwood Museum, Youth Connexions, a hall and meeting rooms.

Hundreds of people attended the opening of the centre on November 18th, to witness all that it had to offer.

It has already been a big hit among the public, who initially feared that it would look out of place in the town centre.

According to a report published by the Borehamwood and Elstree Times, the new development provides facilities which have been needed for a long time.

One member of the public told the newspaper: "I am proud of this new building. The staff is kind and helpful. We have needed something like this for many years."

The building is managed by Hertsmere Leisure and came about as a result of the combined work of Hertfordshire County Council, Hertsmere Borough Council, Elstree and Borehamwood Town Council and All Saints Church.

A spokesperson for Hertfordshire County Council said she was "pleased" at how the development has come along, while Reverend Tim Warr of All Saints Church told the newspaper that it has brought together people from all walks of life, in what is a central "community hub".

He added: "We designed the building to be neutral so that everyone felt welcome and willing to use it no matter what their background. It encapsulates what it might mean to be a community in the 21st century.

"The old hall on this site fitted the needs of the 1960s. This one is a place where things happen for the next generation of Borehamwood residents. Designing it gave us the opportunity to reflect and encapsulate their needs."

But it seems that the community centre is not the only contribution to the satisfaction felt by residents in the area.

Just last month, the Office for National Statistics rated Hertsmere as one of the 'happiest boroughs to live'.