Grant gives Tamworth kids a real reason to dance

WORK is set to get under way at the Tamworth Police Citizens Youth Club building a new floor and undergoing other maintenance work.

The club has been given a $28,000 grant under the Community Building Partnership (CBP) program to undergo the necessary works and improvements.

The CBP program is a state government initiative providing funds for community groups and local councils to invest in community infrastructure.

This year’s sum is the largest grant awarded to the charity through the program. Last year it was awarded $12,000 which was spent doing up the heritage section of the building, the old police station and jail, built in 1850.

Tamworth PCYC manager Kylie O’Leary said the PCYC had applied for a larger grant in order to put in the new wooden floor in the front room where activities such as basketball, gymnastics, ju-jitsu and drama classes were held.

Mrs O’Leary said the existing wooden floor was old and starting to split and splinter, and was also a bad trip hazard so will be lowered to ground level as well.

The room will also get new carpet and paint, and have fresh decorations put on the walls.

“These grants are great, not just to keep the doors open, but for the bigger problems like this,” Mrs O’Leary said.

The remaining funds will be spent on some repairs at the back of the centre where there is an old box gutter that can’t handle the size of the new building and is now leaking into the ceiling, resulting in floors getting wet and walls warping. The leaks have resulted in the entertainment area smelling like the old boxing gym it once was, with some wet patches of carpet, mould on the ceiling, as well as walls warping and paint cracking.

The building and maintenance work should be finished by October 24.

“There is no way we can afford this kind of thing being a charity organisation. We already struggle to get funds and support, so a grant like this is just fantastic. It really helps the children and the PCYC community,” she said.