Comtechsa: Projects: 2004-2005: Iron Bridge Youth & Community Centre

Projects: 2004-2005

Iron Bridge Youth & Community Centre

127 Beresford Road, Liverpool, L8 4SG

Service:
Feasibility (Building)

Project:
General refurbishment and alterations to existing premises to help improve accessibility for the needs of disabled users.

General Information:
IBY&CC is a registered charity providing their facilities for the benefit of the local residents since 1974.
Primarily the Centre offers affordable fitness facilities i.e keep fit, weight training, aerobics and a small boxing club. It is well used by the youth in the area, together with the unemployed and retired. The Centre has a large number of older members who although getting on in years still want to keep active.
All the Centres facilities are leisure orientated although it is commonly used as a social and general meeting place.

Clients Needs:
Their premises (formerly used as a seamen's mission) is roughly 100 years old and has seen better days. It would not meet the current Building Control health and safety standards or fire safety requirements.
Another important factor is the new Disability Discrimination Act which has had a big impact on this particular project as regards improving accessibility.

Funding:
The construction cost has been estimated to be between £80,000 - £90,000 with the total project cost in the region of £130,000.
The group is currently looking at what funding is available and the possibility of another building in the area as well as what needs to be considered in the interim period to improve matters.

Completion:
Several proposed layouts have been considered by the group. One has been agreed and drawn up together with a breakdown of the estimated cost envisaged to carry out the works.
Due to the economies of scale it is not viable to install a lift as too much valuable floor space would be lost.
The group now have a difficult decision to make as it may not be financially viable to adapt and refurbish the building.