THE grand opening of Dursley’s brand new youth centre – the Vibe – is now just days away.

The project, led by Dursley Town Council un conjunction with Dursley Tabernacle URC, has taken almost three years to complete and came to a total cost of about £370,000.

The Vibe will be unveiled to potential youth service providers this Friday, followed by its official launch on Saturday.

DTC clerk Helen Bojaniwska has been heavily involved with the project since day one.

She said: "I am delighted to have played a part, along with many partners from the community, in

fulfilling the Council's ambition to provide much-needed facilities for young people in the

town and I am looking forward to working with young people to shape the services that they

would like to see in the new centre."

The interior of the centre will have a welcoming entrance branching off into a den with soft seating and gaming equipment and screens. On the opposite side of the premises there will be a tech suite and meeting space. At the rear of the centre is an open-plan space which will have a large kitchen and youth cafe area with flexible seating and a pool table.

Gloucestershire’s Police and Crime Commissioner Martin Surl, who approved a £10,000 grant towards the project in 2013, is thrilled to see the project achieving its goals.

He said: “I think it’s important for a town the size of Dursley to have a focus for young people.

“The Vibe can make an important contribution towards steering them in the right direction and creating a better environment”.

The open day on Friday is an opportunity for potential youth service providers to come and look round the centre and visualise how they might use the space.

The grand opening, however, is for everyone to come and have a look at the facility.

Dursley’s original purpose-built youth centre was built in the early 1980s on land leased from Stroud District Council. In 2006 the land on which the youth centre was based, along with the town’s neighbouring long stay car park and fire station site, were sold to Sainsbury’s so that a new supermarket could be built.

The youth centre was closed and demolished in 2008. A temporary youth centre operated out of the community centre in Dursley and Cam on one night a week.

The grand opening of the youth centre will be held this Saturday at 3 Parsonage Street, between 11am and 2pm.