RENEWING THE OLD FIRESTATION COMMUNITY CENTRE
What are we doing?
Following on from community consultations around our exciting plans to make the building more sustainable and accessible (see bottom of page for designs) we’re really pleased to be running a new project called “Looking Out” all around uncovering the histories of our landmark locally-listed and much loved community building and reaching out to get more people involved in its future.
LOOKING OUT SUMMER DROP IN SESSIONS
Fri 5th July 1-3pm and Thurs 18th July 6-8pm – free and delicious light refreshments included!*
* RSVP to lookingout.community@gmail.com to give us an idea of numbers
Calling all friends and neighbours, past and present. The Old Fire Station Community Centre N16 are running the Looking Out! project until Easter 2025 which is funded by Historic England and all about finding out more and celebrating the working history of this much loved community building
The Summer drop in sessions follow on from our Open Day and Project Launch on Sat 18th May 2024 where we held free guided tours of the Old Fire Station, tunes, refreshments and other activities for all ages.
At the July sessions you can meet our community producer and help shape our upcoming programme of events unearthing Old Fire Station histories and learning new skills. Together we will be celebrating and investigating the past, present and future of the space as a place of community, health, activism, education and resilience.
Please bring your own memories and photos if you have any. Or if you’ve never been in before please come along and find out more about what goes on here!
Check out our Looking Out insta @lookingout_ofs to see what we’ve discovered so far
We are really keen to reconnect with organisations and individuals that used the Old Fire Station (it opened as a community centre in 1982) so please spread the word widely, and drop in if you can, we’d love to see you there! You can also contact us at ofsn16lookingout@gmail.com if you’d like to get involved or find out more.
More about Looking Out
“The Old Fire Station N16, Looking out for our community since 1886” is being part-funded by 9.6k from Historic England’s Everyday Heritage grant programme, celebrating working class histories.
Our team will be working with past and present local community members who will be collecting, communicating and responding to stories from the buildings’ past, present and future in varied ways. The project runs from May 2024 – April 2025 there will be open day events, and opportunities to learn new skills, as well as interviewing and other research activities.
We are really keen to involve people that have lived experience of the Old Fire Station so please do spread the word widely!
OUR PLANS FOR UPDATING THE OLD FIRE STATION COMMUNITY CENTRE
What are our plans?
In 2022 The Old Fire Station obtained funding from the Architectural Heritage Fund for Viability and Development studies and appointed architects and consultants to work with our tenants, users, stakeholders and community to thoroughly investigate the building and its potential.
Our initial study triggered £800,000 of essential roof and parapet repairs from Hackney Council (which ended in Spring 2023)
Through further consultations Pringle Sharratt Richards Architects (responsible for Springfield Park and Victoria Albert Museum redevelopments) have identified key priorities and developed outline plans for planning approval which, if secured, will form the basis of a larger future funding bid. Highlights include:
– Sensitive renovations to existing historic features
– Increased accessibility including a redesigned ground floor
– A new reception/entrance and addition of a lift serving all floors
– Energy efficiency, futureproofing with new heating, solar, insulation and double glazing
– Derelict third floor updated into new community space
– Additional outdoor terraces including for childrens’ play
– Better storage, flooring and lighting, new WC’s, a communal kitchen and tea points