Hopes high for youth activities centre after £3.8m grant boost

The ambitious project now has the money in place for work to begin renovating two council-owned buildings in Thomas Street, close to the Piece Hall in Halifax town centre.

The money will also pay for a new wing to be added to the existing buildings and create an atrium.

The combined space will be a large enough area for a recording studio, dance and drama facilities, climbing area, a roof garden and an enclosed skate park on the roof.

The Orangebox project will take a year to complete and could be finished by September next year, according to managers with Square Chapel Centre for the Arts, the organisation leading the project.

It is hoped that the council-owned buildings, worth close to £400,000, will eventually be handed over to, and run by, an independent trust. The buildings are currently used for storage and will have to be cleared out and renovated.

The “catchment” area for the youth centre is the whole of Calderdale, which is currently home to 17,500 people in the 13-19 age group. Those involved with the project say the end result will be a “world-class youth facility”.

The £3.8m grant from the Department of Education was announced yesterday and represents the total amount of capital funding needed.

A spokesman for the project said: “The Orangebox will provide counselling and support services for young people alongside dance, drama, art and sport facilities, a recording studio, climbing tunnel, a roof garden and a roof top skate park.”

A spokesman for the Square Chapel Centre for the Arts, David McQuillan, said: “We are delighted with this decision; this has been one of the most rewarding projects I have been involved with and it is certainly worthy of this level of investment.

“The young people involved have been absolutely inspirational in driving the project forward for over two years.

“Together with the design team led by local architects Studio BAAD they have created something that is not only an incredible facility but also a great piece of architecture.

“This is a partnership project and it wouldn’t have been possible without the support we have received from Calderdale Council and our other partners.”

Calderdale Council leader Janet Battye, said: “This is really fantastic news for the young people of Calderdale. This project will tie in with the rest of the work we are trying to do to regenerate and bring a fresh vibrancy to this part of Halifax.”

Mr McQuillan said the project was “truly designed by, with and for young people.”

Over the last two-and-a-half years the views of over 1,000 young people have shaped the project, he said.

He said the Orangebox will change the lives of young people and significantly change a historic quarter of Halifax.

The project will benefit young people across Calderdale and not just Halifax.

The Tory MP for the Calder Valley, Craig Whittaker, who has supported the project since it began over two years ago, said: “This is a fantastic achievement and opportunity and represents a significant and deserved investment in the young people of Calder Valley and Halifax.”

Linda Riordan, Labour MP for Halifax, added: “Halifax has never experienced facilities such as these for young people.

“This project displays a great investment in their futures and is testament to the hard work and dedication of the young team who have enabled this to happen.”

The Orangebox project is part of the national Myplace programme, which aims to deliver world-class youth facilities.