The Bridge Centre in Torry is now officially open to the community after the building was left empty and unused for more than a decade.
Managed by King’s Community Foundation, it is hoped the building on North Balnagask Road will offer support to those in the area and be used by local groups.
Some of the services that will be offered from the building include a community cafe, financial and legal advice, a recovery and family worker, kids and youth programmes and a foodbank.
It is hoped the project will bring new life to the previously derelict community centre, which has been neglected for 12 years.
‘Not just what Torry needs, but what Torry deserves’
The opening event was started by pastor of King’s Church, Iain Duthie, who spoke about the heart behind the project.
Competing with loud cheers from keen football fans in the next door pub, Mr Duthie thanked those involved before handing over to the Lord Provost, David Cameron, to cut the ribbon.
Having spent most of his working life in Torry, Mr Cameron said he shared his own love for the area.
He added: “I think it’s going to mean an enormous amount to the people of Torry.
“I always felt very welcome in Torry with the businesses and the people that lived here and a unit, like what King’s Church are intending to do with the Bridge Centre, is just exactly what the people of Torry not only need but absolutely deserve.”
Dealing with deeper issues and not just giving a safe space
Working in partnership with Aberdeen City Council, the project to open in the centre has already been actively ongoing for around five to six years.
The ceremony followed a week of youth programmes held across the city before finishing with a fun-filled barbecue at the centre on Saturday.
Local business owner, and a key figure in developing the project, Darren Shinnie, said it was a promising start.
He said: “It’s been a long time coming but I’m delighted. I think the BBQ was a great example of that.
“The community came together and it’s everything you kind of want it to be. It’s started off on a good footing and I’m excited for it going forward really.”
Having lived with his family in Torry for 12 years, the 35-year-old said: “I’ve been really privileged in the last decade in Torry.
“I’ve gone from seeing people begging on the streets who are now back in employment and seen families that were maybe struggling now prospering.
“And now we’ve got a base here, people will see that there’s something here they can come to and be part of and hopefully lives will be changed at a greater rate.
“I think if you look at Torry’s community, compared to many other communities, we’re a very privileged community. We’ve got football pitches, we’ve got swimming pools, we’ve got heaps the things all on our doorstep.
“I think a football pitch is good, and it gets kids off the street but it doesn’t really deal with the issue of why the kids or why the people are going through the pain that they’re going through. And I think here, the Bridge Centre, that’s the difference.”
‘Now the real work begins’
Christopher Hood, Bridge Centre manager, said he and those involved are excited to start serving the community.
“It’s been a long journey,” the 29-year-old said. “There’s been a lot of renovation needed in the building, due to it being derelict for 12 plus years, a lot of work has gone into it. So it’s great to finally have it open for the public.
“We’ve got lots of different charities who will be coming together to use the space to give that practical help for everyone. For whatever they need, we’re looking to have that facility in the building.
“It’s also going to be a place for the community to use and to own and to steer into whatever they want it to be so we’re looking for people to get on board for that.
“We’re just hoping for it to give hope to people.
Mr Hood added he was excited to see the building open: “Obviously, it’s been a long, long journey with the renovation work, but the real work starts now and we’ll get the opportunity to now help people so I’m excited to get that started.”
How will legal services help community?
One of the services that will be run from the building is a legal clinic which will offer advice to those in the community.
Law clinic manager and practising solicitor based at RGU, Hannah Darnell, said they were setting up one of the Torry clinics in the offices upstairs in the Bridge Centre.
She said: “We hope to be a bit more proactive in what we’re doing in the sense that we can give sessions to people on different hot topics that might arise to try and preempt issues from arising.
“We felt that if we were a bit more proactive about things, that we do sessions to community that opens up so that they can come and speak to us if they do have an issue.”
The law clinic joins Bethany Christian Trust, a charity offering support to homeless and vulnerable people, who will also be working from the building.
Having been in the police in the Torry area, Mrs Darnell added the opening was “a bit more special” for her.
She said: “I had seen this place in its previous form, I was quite well acquainted with it because I was a community officer here. And I felt that it was a really good opportunity for us to try and bring something back to the community.
“So this is a pilot really. And then if this works well for the community, then we’ll move to roll out across other areas and Aberdeen as well. So it’s really exciting.”
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