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From left, Abdul Shayek, Mainuddin Chowdhury and Olive Obi |
From laundry to arts centre
IN times gone by, Hornsey Road baths was the place to wash your dirty linen. But now, the old laundry house in Holloway is to be converted into an all-singing, all-dancing youth centre.
Fourteen advisors aged from 16 to 24 have been chosen to help architects with the design of the new £3.5million theatre, dance studio and performing area, which is expected to be finished by 2011. The government-funded centre will also have a café and exhibition space.
It has not yet been decided who will run the centre but youngsters are keen to keep any future rental costs down so it can be used by all.
Youth advisor Mainuddin Chowdhury, of Finsbury Park Youth Forum, who has worked closely with architects, said: “They’re going to keep a bit of the history by putting some of the old piping into the entrance hall. They’re going to keep the old floors in the office too.”
Another advisor, Olive Obi, a member of the National Youth Theatre in Holloway Road, said: “The most unusual things have come from consulting with other young people. Some of them were talking about including pictures of people who inspire them. Kids from Islington Boat Club said they wanted a wall where they could express themselves.
“We’ve been asking young people about the costing and how much they’re willing to pay. There’s no point in doing the building if it’s too expensive.”
Abdul Shayek, an artist working with charity All Change, said the memories of older people at Alsen Day Centre who can recall the baths in their former glory have been recorded.
These will be used in a presentation on the plans later this year. |
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