Ormsgill children are having a say on youth facilities in Barrow

You said…   Involve us in planning the future of services in our area

We did…   We’re asking young people for their views on youth facilities in Ormsgill

Young people in Barrow are giving their views on things to do for young people in the Ormsgill area. Their feedback will form part of a potential project to revamp Ormsgill library into a place for young people to meet.

Pupils at three local primary schools: St Pius School, Victoria Junior School and Ormsgill Primary School have filled in questionnaires which included questions on what they enjoy doing in their spare time.  A child from each school has won a pair of cinema tickets as a thank you for filling out the surveys.

Ormsgill Library has been shut since 2008 and remained empty since then.

County Counillor Jim Hamezian and Barrow Borough Counicllor Bill McEwan are leading the project to potentially use the old library as a dedicated youth facility. A steering group of county and borough councilors and council officers has now been set up to work towards making the plans a reality.

The young people’s survey was collated on behalf of the Ormsgill Residents and Tenants Association who are also backing the project.  

Secondary school pupils at Furness Academy will also respond to the survey in September.  

If there is a positive response from the questionnaires, the steering group will work to secure funding for the project. The steering group is also working with the residents’ association and volunteers to form a business plan.

Councillor for Ormsgill, Jim Hamezeian, said: “We are doing this through the county council and they have been very helpful. We want to use it to benefit the youth on the Ormsgill estate.”

For more information contact the Barrow Community Unit.