Race Cottam children’s centre complete
WORK has been completed on a £1.2m scheme for families and children designed by Sheffield-based architects Race Cottam Associates.
The Lakeside Children’s Centre in Derby has been built on the site of Lakeside Community Primary School at Alvaston.
The centre, which operates as a gateway to the school site, will be the flagship of Derby City Council’s Children’s Centres Programme, offering purpose-designed services to benefit hundreds of under-fives and their families in the area.
It features two multi-purpose rooms that will provide parents and parents-to-be with access to a range of classes – from ante-natal sessions through to parenting courses, healthy eating and exercise classes to play activities for parents and under-5s.
Race Cottam architect Pauline Lake said: “We are delighted the Children’s Centre is complete and are very happy with the final result.
“We worked closely with Derby City Council, the school and the contractors, Norwest Holst, to provide a very open and welcoming building which offers the right environment for the delivery of childcare, health and other family services.
“After visiting other children’s centres we have designed a very spacious and warm reception and waiting area to try and encourage the community to come in and use the services. There is also a place for parents or carers to meet and relax.”
Simon Emsley, headmaster at Lakeside Community Primary School, said: “As well as the practicality and functionality of the design, its architecture is fantastic. Race Cottam have considered the surroundings and the local building style and the new development complements it all very well.
“I’m really looking forward to the centre being occupied so the community can really benefit from this tremendous, much needed scheme.”
The scheme follows the successful completion of Lakeside Primary School, Sinfin Primary School and da Vinci Community College in Derby under the PFI initiative by Race Cottam.
Architects from the practice, which has studios in Sheffield and Knutsford, have also designed the high-profile, £20.5m scheme to replace Sinfin Community School in Derby which was largely destroyed by fire in 2006.
