A public meeting has been arranged for Thursday, 26 September at 6.30pm at Bowhouse Community Centre to discuss the future of the building and the Community Asset Transfer (CAT) process.

The meeting will explain how vital community support is and how, by joining the committee, local residents can help keep the centre open.

Without additional involvement, the centre will close its doors on 1 October and mothballing work will begin.

You're help is vital

Bowhouse Community Association Committee was set to take on a Full Repairing and Insuring (FRI) licence, which would have kept the centre open beyond 1 October while its CAT application was processed.

The committee had a strong business plan in place, and council officers were optimistic a decision could have been made by councillors as early as December.

However, the committee withdrew its application earlier this month because more community support was needed to take on the ownership of the building.

Paul Kettrick, Head of Investment, Assets and Climate, said: "The Council is saddened by the withdrawal of the community ownership interest for Bowhouse Community Centre by the Bowhouse Community Association Committee.

"We have worked closely with the group and CVS for many months to develop a business plan that we were confident would succeed. We fully expected to progress through the transfer process over the coming months and secure the future of the centre for the community.

"The committee has worked tirelessly to develop their proposals, but unfortunately, their calls for more community members to join them and provide their support have gone unanswered. We will continue to support the committee in seeking volunteers so that the centre can potentially reopen in the future."

How to get involved

Falkirk Council is urging all users of the centre, as well as the wider Bowhouse and Grangemouth community, to attend the meeting and get involved.

Paul said: "We strongly encourage those who currently use the centre or have used the centre in the past, and those living in the wider Bowhouse and Grangemouth area to come forward now and support efforts to secure the future of the centre."