CHILDREN, parents and pensioners are mourning the loss of a community centre set to be sold off by Nottingham City Council.
The Sixways centre, in Denton Green, Broxtowe, was managed by Broxtowe Partnership Trust.
But the trust dissolved at the end of March and now the council plans to transfer the centre's ownership and management to another organisation.
The centre, which has been closed since March, has played host to a range of events for all ages over the years, including youth clubs, football training sessions and summer holiday activities.
It also hosted popular events like the annual Broxtowe's Got Talent contest and an Easter parade.
Among the groups that used the centre were Young at Heart, a group for pensioners who came together to eat lunch and socialise together. The group has now had to move to the Hope Centre, in Woodfield Road, after three years at the Sixways centre. One member, who did not want to be named, said: "We do miss it. We so enjoyed it.
"There were some people from this community that don't get out otherwise. I think it's a good building and it could be put to so much good use."
A mum who lives in nearby Lindfield Road had been sending her seven-year-old daughter to play at the centre in the holidays since she started school. She said: "I'd have to find another playgroup if that one went. It was good. It was near to my house and it was free."
On Friday, an event was held at the centre to explain the tendering process to interested parties.
Councillor Graham Chapman, deputy leader of the city council, said: "I'm fairly anxious to get things going. We're looking for people with some local links and local involvement that understand the area. We're looking for somebody that's going to reanimate the centre."
Mr Chapman also said that the council wanted to find groups to run activities in the centre over the summer while the tendering process was taking place.
Mark Bowyer, Broxtowe Partnership Trust's former manager, declined to comment.
