As Ward Councillors for Wimbledon Park, we are delighted that, after years of waiting and campaigning, a new Community Centre has finally arisen out of the rubble on the site that was once Wimbledon Park Hall.

It is 10 years since the loss of the old Hall and there was understandably much controversy when the then Labour-led Council sold off Wimbledon Park Hall against the wishes of many local residents.

Working together with the Wimbledon Park Residents Association (WPRA), ward councillors were keen to ensure that a community facility was included in the tender.

It is therefore wonderful that after many years of negotiation, countless meetings and pressure on the Council and developer, residents are finally seeing a new community centre open on the site of the former Hall.

This new community centre is a tribute to the hard work of the local community and a great example of grassroots community action. We would like to pay particular tribute to the role played by the Wimbledon Park Residents Association and we are pleased that the new centre has now been subleased by the Council to the WPRA through the Wimbledon Park Community Trust. Thanks must also go to Shaukat Hussein and to former Wimbledon Park councillor, Tariq, Lord Ahmad of Wimbledon for all their efforts.

Our families and the wider community were so lucky to have previously had the benefit of the old Hall for a variety of activities and parties and it was a huge blow to many local organisations and families when it closed.

Now that it has finally come back to life, we very much hope that local residents, along with their children and future generations, will be able to make full use of our new community hall.

We would encourage you all to come and take a look at what’s on offer.

Councillor Janice Howard, Councillor Oonagh Moulton and Councillor Linda Taylor; Merton Conservative Councillors for Wimbledon Park ward

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