Plans for £3m boost to town's community centre
BBCPlans to upgrade a town's community centre will be put before the public at two consultation events.
Longtown, near Carlisle, was awarded a £3m grant from the government's Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal programme, which aims to boost the economies of small rural market and coastal towns.
Proposals for the funds include improvements to the community centre facilities and road upgrades to the A7 corridor through the town. Community Centre Manager Steph Graham said she hoped the community would "get on board" with the proposals.
Drop-in public consultations will take place on 21 and 28 April at Longtown Community Centre.
The public will have the opportunity to view plans and drawings and speak with those involved in developing the projects between 14:00 and 19:00 BST.
If approved, the community centre would see works to its changing rooms, gym, kitchen area, external landscaping and new office spaces.
"It's amazing that we've got this opportunity," Graham said.
"Without schemes like this, things like community centres wouldn't be here. It's so important, especially for small towns in rural areas.
"We are the first point of contact for a lot of people."
Gary Savage, a regular at the community centre gym, said: "Little places like this, they're so handy for people to get to.
"Six years ago I had a triple heart bypass, and it's taken me until about six months ago to feel fit enough to do something like this.
"This whole facility is packed out. There's bowling clubs, there's Tai Chi, they have teas, old folks can come in for dinner - it's a hub for the whole community."
The Borderlands Inclusive Growth Deal is a £350m programme for towns in Cumbria, Northumberland, and the Scottish Borders.
Longtown is one of several areas in Cumbria in the scheme, along with Egremont, Ulverston, Carlisle, Wigton and Penrith.
Proposals for Longtown also include improvements to the safety and appearance of the A7 corridor which runs through the town, including junction changes, traffic calming measures and improved public spaces.
Ann Robb, who runs a line dancing class at the community centre, said the facilities are vital to the local community.
"I think it can be very difficult for small towns to get money to help the community, so this is really important," she said.
Cumberland Council leader Mark Fryer said: "Investing in the community centre and improving the A7 will make it a more attractive proposition for businesses and provide a place where more sectors of the community can easily access high-quality services and activities."
