A public meeting has been called for Thursday evening to share the news of the likely imminent closure of the Muirhouse Millennium Centre with residents and also seek any support to save the centre.
Funding for the centre has been cut and the last time the centre received any monies from the council was in 2019.
North Edinburgh Community News reported last week that Project Manager, Peter Airlie, has been involved at the Millenium Centre since it opened and was even on the planning group that campaigned to get it built.
He said : “When the centre first opened with SIP funding we were receiving £107,000 each year to operate and then in 2009 we received a 50 per cent cut to the budget.
“Since then we have relied on room hires to pay the bills.
“When Pauline from LIFT came here to work it seemed the obvious thing for us to do was to join up and work together as they’re doing the work that we believe we should be doing – but we haven’t been funded to do it.
“We are not here to make money but now the group rental is not covering the bills and we really have no alternative but to close the doors at the end of March.”
The centre has opened up an online fundraising page in the hope of raising money to keep it open beyond March.
Foysol Choudhury Lothians MSP said: “The Muirhouse Millennium Centre is sadly at risk of becoming another community loved facility threatened with closure.
“Citizens up and down Scotland depend on these community facilities, especially during the cost-of-living crisis where warm banks and food hubs have become a lifeline for many households.
“When local authorities aren’t given adequate funding, it is not just the community centres who miss out. It is the people who themselves are dependent on these community centre services who are hit the hardest, especially in areas of high deprivation.
“Over the past weeks, I have attempted to ask questions in the Scottish Parliament about the Centre being at risk and potential solutions. Unfortunately, my questions have not been chosen but I will continue to try and raise awareness of this matter wherever possible.
“It is time for the Scottish Government to wake up and listen to the effect that their funding cuts are having on local services and people. They have starved Scotland’s councils of funding for years and unfortunately they show no sign of stopping.
“Unless the Scottish Government increases funding to local authorities, community, culture, and sport groups will not have the necessary funds to support essential community centres such as the Muirhouse Millennium Centre.
“I will continue to support our essential community groups and will be paying close attention to the outcome of the public meeting on Thursday. Enough is enough, action is needed now before the Scottish Government strips away all of our essential community lifelines.”
Founding Editor of The Edinburgh Reporter.
Edinburgh-born multimedia journalist and iPhoneographer.
