£1.2m rural college community hub completed in lockdown

CONSTRUCTORS completed an innovative £1.2m rural education centre during lockdown.

The new community learning complex at Coleg Cambria Llysfasi will serve people in rural areas of north east Wales as part of the Welsh Government’s Prosperity for All vision to provide more education links in towns and villages across the country.

Wrexham-based Read Construction worked in partnership with the college to finish the Ruthin Road project ahead of the 2020/21 academic year.

The two-storey facility includes IT and multimedia suites, workshops, classrooms, breakout spaces, a kitchen, offices, and meeting rooms which will deliver bilingual and family and community-focused services.

Iain Clarke, Assistant Principal at Llysfasi, said: “For nearly a century this college has been committed to supporting local communities across North Wales.

“One of our main drivers is celebration and preservation of the Welsh language, and the new community hub will ensure we do that.

“It is an outstanding resource that will deliver programmes and courses for community groups, businesses and individuals for many years to come, meeting our key strategic aims and supporting communities in all aspects of educational excellence.”

He added: “The building is spectacular and complements our picturesque surroundings here in Denbighshire. It looks amazing, and we can’t wait to welcome people here when the time is right.”

Stuart Hetherington, Contract Manager at Read Construction, explained how the firm managed to deliver the facility on time, despite the challenges of Coronavirus.

“We delighted to have worked collaboratively with Coleg Cambria on this fantastic new community hub building,” he said.

“Read worked alongside Coleg Cambria and our dedicated supply chain to ensure our workforce and the surrounding community remained safe.

“We are looking forward to handing over the scheme to our client, which will make a significant difference to the local community – giving access to services that are essential for the rural area.”