THE new Helensburgh Community Hub has opened its doors to the public for the first time.
The hub, at the former Red Cross Hall in East Princes Street, opened to the public on Monday and held its first fund-raising book sale on Wednesday.
The hub's opening is the latest major step forward in the rebirth of the building, on the corner of Glenfinlas Street.
In May 2019 the British Red Cross announced it would be putting the hub – home to the Helensburgh and Lomond Foodbank, the local Alcoholics Anonymous group and regular art classes – up for sale.
It originally planned to shut the facility within a month of that announcement, but performed a dramatic U-turn and agreed to keep the hall openi in the interim after the Advertiser, Helensburgh residents and local politicians reacted furiously to the news.
A community group was set up later in 2019 to explore the possibility of a buy-out of the building, and thanks to the support of local residents and financial backing from the Scottish Land Fund and the Town Centre Capital fund, the buy-out was finally completed in December.
In a post on the centre's Facebook page a spokesperson said the hub's first day "was a great success".
Eddie Cusick, the hub's operations manager, spoke earlier this year of his hopes to set up a community garden and cafe at the hall – and said the hub would "always be here for community use" as long as there are tenants using the building.
So far the hub has agreed to lease office space in the building to Argyll and Bute Rape Crisis, Key Housing, and the British Red Cross themselves.
Mr Cusick told Argyll and Bute Council's Helensburgh and Lomond community planning group in May: “We want to be operating seven days a week, for community groups, whether it is geographic community or gender community.
READ MORE: Community hub 'will always be available for the town', hall's new manager promises
"We want people to come to us with ideas and we will support them as best we can.
“We want everything to be community-led.”
Following this week's inaugural book sale, further book sales will be held each Wednesday from 10am-4pm to raise money for the upkeep of the hall and the development of new projects, activities and events.
To arrange a visit to see the hub’s recent refurbishment work, or find out more about its future plans, contact hub manager Eddie Cusick on manager@helensburgh communityhub.org.uk or call 01436 678088.
Earlier this month the hub secured funding of £36,000 from the Robertson Trust to pay for a part-time development manager over the next three years.
READ MORE: Catch up with all the latest news headlines from across Helensburgh and Lomond here
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