Eye residents fight to save youth centre and library
Peterborough City Council plan to sell the sites to raise money
Last updated 16th Nov 2023
Villagers in Eye have started a petition to save their youth centre and library from being sold off by the local council.
The youth centre has been home to local Rainbows group for 26 years, Brownies and Girl Guides for 50 years and Rangers for 5 years.
It also hosts discos, karaoke, craft events and bingo.
Residents have described the library as a 'life line".
The petition states:
"We call on the Council to not close Eye Youth Centre Building and use the grants available from the Governments ÂŁ75M fund for Youth Clubs and Buildings Renovation to upgrade the building in time for the Councils reopening of Senior Youth Club by 2025.
"And for the continuation of the current Junior Youth Club, Brownies, Rainbows and Girl Guides use of the building along with the Library."
Petition organiser Dale McKean with Lilian Muxlow Eye Junior Youth Club Leader have handed in 673 signatures to Peterborough City Council requesting they discuss the potential sale of Eye Youth Centre and Library Building at Full Council Meeting (threshold is a minimum of 500).
Lilian Muxlow, who has been working with the Youth in Eye Village for over 40 years and has been running the Junior Youth Club on a voluntary basis for the last 18 years, said:
"I have been contacted by so many previous youth members saying how important the Youth Club was for them and how much they enjoyed it and so many now have their children going and how much fun they have".
The council have proposed groups instead use the Manor Farm Community Centre, which campaigners say is 'totally impractical' because it 'only has one free evening', there are 'no secure outside play area' and the 'toilets are external to the main room so the safety of children would not be able to be monitored'.
Peterborough MP Paul Bristow has called a meeting outside the Youth Centre and Library Building on the corner of Crowland Rd and High St. on Friday 17th Nov at 11 am where residents can raise their concerns with him.