Gotham - Memorial Hall Refurbishment
A project to revamp Gotham’s Memorial Hall, on Nottingham Road has recently been completed. The £200,000 hall was unveiled by the Mayor of Rushcliffe, Cllr Peter McGowan, on 28 November 2009 at 12.00pm. Guests then enjoyed a cup of tea and a piece of cake and tour the new hall and library and saw the sponsored wall of signatures, which features over 100 engraved bricks sold to raise funds for the project.
The project has transformed the village’s former youth centre into a comfortable, modern, green centre for use by the whole community, day and night, throughout the year. It features a resource and educational area and part-time library, a medium sized meeting room, a community cafe with a new kitchen, and an upgraded room for indoor sports/keep fit. The new entrance provides all users with a wide and level access to the whole complex.
All the building’s toilet facilities have been upgraded so that they use less water and are accessible to all. New suspended ceilings and energy efficient insulation have also been installed. Finally, the plumbing,
heating and lighting systems have been improved to cut running costs, create a pleasant ambience and reduce the building’s environmental impact. Environmentally friendly ‘Sun Pipes’ now light rooms with sunlight and a natural ventilation system provides an energy-efficient alternative to traditional mechanical systems.
Funding for the work came from several sources, including WREN and The Veolia Environmental Trust, with the two organisations awarding a total of £80,000 through the Landfill Communities Fund.
Speaking about the project, Gillian Hind, a Trustee and Fundraising Officer, says: ‘It is fantastic to see the project nearly complete. The building work is now all done and the fixtures and fittings are in place – now we just have to do the decorating and tidying up. It is really exciting and we cannot wait for everyone to see what a wonderful new hall they have.’
