The first sod has been cut at the site of the new £6.525million community centre for Stonehouse.

Responding to the wider needs of the local community, the work, which is set to begin in June, will see the creation of a multi-use centre to replace the existing Stonehouse Institute and Public Hall.

Scheduled to be completed by winter 2011, the centre will include a new community hall with kitchen and bar facilities, sound and lighting systems and can be sub-divided to allow different sized group activities.

The centre will also have a community café area with meals and snacks on offer as well as a range of meeting rooms for local groups and visiting services from the council and its partner organisations for housing surgeries, benefits enquiries and health activities.

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Specialist facilities for adult day care including group rooms, a cinema room, arts and crafts room, multi sensory room and a quiet room will also be available for community use out with office hours.

Councillor Gerry Convery, the chair of the council's Community Resources Committee, said: "This facility which is fully funded by the council, will be a great facility for the people of Stonehouse and is another in the line of very successful integrated community facilities throughout South Lanarkshire.

"I am sure the people of Stonehouse and the surrounding area will be delighted with their new facility."

The centre will also include a landscaped garden area at the back of the building.

Raymond Gilroy, the contract director for Gilbert Ash NI Ltd, said: "We are delighted to be appointed as the contractor for the new facility and look forward to starting work in June and look forward to working with the council to complete an outstanding quality project by the end of next year."

(GK)