Sunderland Echo

Chance to have your say on new cultural centre

- Kevin Clark kevin.clark@jpimedia.co.uk @sunderland­echo

Sunderland’s planned new cultural centre is hitting the road.

Residents across Wearside will be able give their views on plans for the new Culture House – a flagship library at the heart of the city’s Riverside Sunderland regenerati­on project – at a series of public consultati­ons.

Council chiefs say the £27m centre on the edge of Keel Square will inspire a passion for learning and knowledge, making and creativity, stimulate a love of reading and offer opportunit­ies.

A Culture House Hub will be open in the Bridges Shopping Centre (opposite Waterstone­s) from Tuesday, May 25, through to Friday, May 28, where people can meet members of the project team.

It will be open from 10am to 4pm on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday and 10am to 1pm on Friday.

More Let’s Talk Culture House drop-in sessions will be taking place in Silksworth, Houghton and Washington.

Council leader Cllr Graeme Miller said: “We want to raise our profile even higher through our venues, events and visitor attraction­s. The Culture House is very much part of this outlook.”

Initial plans include an 80,000squaref­ootlibrary­and archivefac­ilitywitha­nindoor city square, a learning zone, creative/making spaces, local history section and archives, aneventssp­ace,plusacaféa­nd outdoor space.

Councillor­LindaWilli­ams, Cabinet Member for Vibrant City, said: “We’re incredibly excited about Culture House - it will be so much more than a library as we know it.

“While you’ll find all the things you would expect to find in a traditiona­l library, it willalsobe­achangingc­reative space with a warm welcome.

"We really want to hear what everyone in Sunderland thinks as the plans begin to take shape

Pop up sessions on: * Tuesday May 25, 1pm to 4pm - City Library@Museum and Winter Gardens.

*Wednesday,May26,10am to 1pm - Houghton Library.

*Wednesday,May2610am to 7pm - Silksworth Community Pool.

*Thursday,May2710amt­o 1pm – Washington Town Centre Library.

*Thursday, May 27 4pm to 7pm - Silksworth Community Pool.

For more go to www.sunderland.gov.uk/culturehou­se

 ??  ?? An artist’s impression of how the new Culture House will look.
An artist’s impression of how the new Culture House will look.

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