THE Mayor of the Vale of Glamorgan officially opened the new Margaret Alexander Community Centre, formally known as Alexandra Gardens, on Thursday, July 11.

The centre was renamed in memory of former Vale council leader Cllr Margaret Alexander, who sadly passed away last year.

The centre received 25 per cent funding from a Barry Regeneration Grant and the remainder from the Vale of Glamorgan Council.

The Alexandra Gardens Community Centre started life as a former World War II hut and was relocated to its current position from the Buttrills fields area circa 1947 by local community volunteers.

The community centre was very well used until the end of September 2011 when the centre was forced to close. An independent structural survey confirmed that the centre was structurally unsound with a high risk of collapse.

The community centre has always been run by local volunteers and many of the former officers of Alexandra Community Association were present at the official opening on Thursday.

The current committee members of the Alexandra Gardens Community Association applied for grants to get the Community Centre rebuilt.

A grant application for Barry regeneration funding was successful (for 25 per cent up to a maximum of £100,150) and with the remaining funding from the Vale council's capital programme, the dream of a brand new centre was realised.

The new community centre was designed in house by the Vale council in consultation with the volunteers and officers of the Alexandra Community Association.

The old community centre was demolished and the site cleared. The tender for rebuilding was awarded to Jehu contractors who started on site in Jan 2013 and completed the new centre in June 2013.

The Vale council and the Alexandra Gardens Community Association decided the new centre would be called the Margaret Alexander Community Centre.

Council Leader Cllr Neil Moore said: "This project is a fine example of successful partnership working between the Vale council, the Welsh Government and the volunteers from the Alexandra Gardens Community Association.

"The renaming of the centre is a fitting tribute to Councillor Margaret Alexander, who was the local ward member, committee member and holding trustee of the Alexandra Gardens Community Association."

Guests enjoyed a buffet and a fantastic dancing display by girls from the Wendy Summerell dancing school.

For more information about Community Centres phone Siân Vaughan on 704813.