The finishing touches are being put to Wolverhampton's first community hub, which will open its doors later this week.

Type=image;ImageID=3506;ImageClass=left;ImageTitle=Preparing for the opening of Wednesfield Community Hub;TitleClass=strong;

Staff are busy stocking the shelves of the refurbished Wednesfield Library, which forms part of the new Wednesfield Community Hub, on Well Lane.

The hub, one of a number of similar facilities which will be opening around the city this year, will bring together a range of services under one roof.

It has been developed by remodelling the building which already houses both the library and Wednesfield Community Centre and will offer better facilities such as a larger community hall, reconfigured meeting spaces, a new refreshment area and improved adults and children's libraries.

There will also be information services as well as self service facilities enabling people to borrow and return books both during and outside of the library's staffed opening hours. The library has been closed for the last few days while the finishing touches are put to the new facilities, although the community centre is operating as normal.

Contractors have been busy installing new furniture, shelving and computers and relocating the existing library counter, and staff are now turning their attention to preparing the new look library for its first customers.

The new Wednesfield Community Hub will open its doors for the first time on Thursday (20 March, 2014).

Councillor Elias Mattu, Wolverhampton City Council's Cabinet Member for Leisure and Communities, said: "The new hub will give the people of Wednesfield the chance to access a wide range of community services from under one roof.

"Staff are working very hard putting the finishing touches to the new library area and I'm delighted that customers will be able to experience it for themselves for the first time on Thursday."

Further community hubs at Pendeford, Long Knowle and Ashmore Park are nearing completion and are due to open to the public in the next few weeks, while work on the new Low Hill Community Hub began last week and should be completed later this year.

  • released: Monday 17 March, 2014