ANYONE passing through Inverkip can’t fail to be impressed by the striking new community centre just off the A78.

Inverclyde Council have done well in the current financial climate to provide the required £2.1 million, and the villagers themselves must be commended for their campaigning.

Volunteers in the Inverkip Community Initiative all deserve to take a deep bow for representing the village so positively and taking over the running of the hub.

Special mention should also go to the anonymous community member who dug deep to provide retractable seating and a cinema-type projector and sound system for the main hall.

Other facilities include training and meeting rooms, a kitchen and lounge areas, as well as a 3G five-a-side outdoor football pitch.

The centre should help to bring together an apparently ever-expanding community that will grow even more when houses are built eventually at the power station site.

The splendid building is exactly the kind of facility we need to encourage people to move to and stay in Inverclyde, and help combat our de-population problem.

What we definitely don’t need is any more services removed from Inverclyde Royal Hospital.

A consultation is continuing over the future of the birthing unit, and now fears have been voiced that IRH accident and emergency services and operations could face cutbacks to help the health board save some of the £333 million it needs to cull over the next five years.
Hands off the IRH!