Community Centre

It may seem surprising to know that although the community at Hiltingbury and Hocombe has grown over a period of eighty years, it has so far emerged with no community centre. Recently even the local public house has been demolished to make way for new developments. The Hiltingbury Community Association aims to bring the heart back into the community by providing a centre for community events.

Geographically the Hiltingbury Recreation Ground is well placed to serve as a focus of the regeneration of the community spirit. Therefore, the HCA is working towards building a new community centre on the Hiltingbury Recreation Ground. This building is the final and largest part of a total redevelopment. The first phases of the project have already been completed: starting with the re-surfacing of the sports pitches, the re-location and renewal of both the skate park and the children's play area. The next phases of the project include increased car parking, improved vehicle access and new footpaths around the whole site. The existing pavilion will be upgraded and refurbished to provide the modern sporting changing rooms one would expect to accompany the top-quality sports pitches.

Planting and landscaping will be used at various points to improve the isolation of the rec's activities from the adjoining residents and to enhance the overall appearance of the area. It is hoped that the 'jewel in the crown' of the whole development will be the new community centre. The community centre will provide the focus for many user groups drawn from all elements of the community - not only the more traditional user groups of community centres, but also the users of the rec's many other facilities.

It is hoped that a spirit of inclusion will encourage many new people to participate in community activities. The community centre will provide facilities for all members of the community, and particularly those with special needs, be they through physical or mental difficulties or simply through feelings of isolation and loneliness.

The community centre will, among others, provide the following facilities:

  • Large hall with flexible staging and seating for 200 people, badminton court & short-mat indoor bowls
  • Small hall with some specific features for young children. This will become the new home for the incumbent preschool groups currently using the upstairs room in the pavilion.
  • Meeting room
  • Kitchens and food preparation and serving facilities
  • Toilets and limited changing rooms
  • Community office

Proposed Layout of Community Centre