The new-look Lochgelly Centre is moving ever closer to beginning its new life, and work to transform the centre into a bright, modern and attractive building has been completed and the will be officially opened to the community on Tuesday 14^th February.

But you don’t need to wait until then to see inside the Centre as finishing touches are now being made inside with staff now in the building preparing for a “soft” opening on Monday 23^rd January.

That week, the library, local office information services, box office and café will open for the public with other services, including the theatre, arts classes and ICT Centre set to open in the weeks leading up to the official opening.

The new Centre is bigger and better and will give the chance to access a wide range of council services in addition to the theatre and arts classes it’s already well known for.

A new single storey glass fronted extension houses the modern library and reception area with the existing building fully refurbished to include a revised layout of the café, toilets and meeting facilities.

The heating and ventilation systems for the theatre, sports hall and studio at the new centre have been replaced with an energy efficient plant.

Amongst the moves to the new centre will be the Lochgelly Local Office, which will be in the new centre from Monday 23rd January, when it will move premises from their shop front location on Bank Street.  The Local Office will provide increased opening hours on a temporary basis to deal with the anticipated increase in footfall while visitors come to see the new facility.

Local office hours will be Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday – 9am-12.30pm, and 1.30pm - 4.30pm and Wednesday 9am – 1pm.

Councillor Brian Goodall, Chair of the Housing and Communities committee, said: “2012 will be the beginning of the Lochgelly Centre’s new life and I’m sure it will still remain at the heart of the community. There will be more on offer than ever before and I’m really looking forward to the Centre opening its doors once again.”

The facility will be managed by ON at Fife on behalf of Fife Council. Stuart Cross, Chairman of ON at Fife, said: “All our staff are delighted that the Lochgelly Centre is so close to opening. I extend a very warm welcome to the whole community to pop in from 23^rd January onwards and to join us for the full opening on 14^th Februaryso that they can meet the staff and see the improvements we’ve made.”

What do you think of the new-look centre? Post your comments and have your say here on s1lochgelly