News / youth services
State-of-the-art youth centre featuring climbing wall, DJ decks and sports hall opens
A state-of-the-art youth centre featuring a two-storey climbing wall has opened in a deprived part of South Bristol.
224 Youth Zone cut the ribbon to the building at a grand ceremony on Saturday attended by over a thousand young people and supporters.
The £12m centre, located by Hartcliffe Way, was purpose-built and features an extensive range of facilities.
They include a sports court, cafe, dance studio, maker space workshop, sensory room and climbing wall.
A music room offers a DJ deck, drum kits, instruments and editing software.
The centre is one of 19 youth zones from charity OnSide and is the first one in the South West.
At the ribbon cutting, Bristol South MP Karin Smyth said: “26 years people have been working on this. This is what happens when communities come together and when you demand something better.
“And I want to say to everybody who says things never happen: they do happen, you can make them happen, and this is the product of what you made happen.”
Lord Mayor Yassin Mohamud told crowds: “This centre will help countless young families across our city for years to come.
“Congratulations to everyone involved and I wish 224 every success for the future.”
The centre cost £12m to build – photo: Molly Pipe
A group of teenagers who had helped the project reach out to young people to gather their views on what they wanted from the centre were invited onto the stage to officially open the venue.
After a countdown, a ribbon was cut to screams and cheers from onlookers and a burst of multi-coloured confetti sprinkling down from the ceiling.
224 Youth Zone sits in a deprived area of Bristol and is part of a trend of bringing back youth services after their mass loss during austerity.
Prices have been kept incredibly low, with annual membership costing £5 plus 50p per visit and hot meals available for just £1.
Youth worker Gus Woodward said the centre will get youngsters off the street – photo: Molly Pipe
Youth worker Gus Woodward said access to such spaces “is really important”.
“Growing up in the area never having anything like this I can really see the importance. I can just see people on the streets getting up to no good. Now they’re coming in here playing sport, learning an instrument.
“Especially the difference between Knowle and Hartcliffe. There’s been a lot of past beef; it’s generational, it’s been around for ages. People round my age get told that if (someone) lives in the other side of the area you just don’t like them.
Having youths from Knowle and Hartcliffe playing alongside each other at the centre “really breaks down those barriers”, Woodward said.
224 Youth Zone is open to young people aged eight to 19 or up to 25 for those with additional needs.
Main photo: 224 Youth Zone
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