Kimberley Park Lodge, Falmouth work to start on cafe

Falmouth Town Council has secured £500,000 of Shared Prosperity funding to transform Kimberley Park Lodge into a vibrant community and media hub with work set to start in April.

This initiative has been made possible through the grant from Cornwall Council from the Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Good Growth Programme, which it manages and is funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund (SPF).

Located at the lower entrance to Kimberley Park Gardens, Kimberley Park Lodge has been empty for several years.

In early 2020, Falmouth Town Council, in partnership with local award-winning ratio station Source FM, embarked on a consultation to revitalise the building for the benefit of the community.

Computer generated images of the centre (Image: FTC)

The outcome was a plan to transform the lodge into a vibrant community café, state-of-the-art recording studios, and versatile media training and rehearsal facility.

The aim of the Re-Source project is to breathe new life into the vacant lodge, whilst seeking to foster creativity, engagement, and skills development within the community.

The project aims to provide a creative platform for individuals of all ages and backgrounds to connect, learn, and discover their creative potential.

The SPF funding, together with the £70,000 already allocated to the project by Falmouth Town Council, will allow the council to remodel the building to include three recording studios and a community café.

Two of the studios will be tailored for both live and pre-recorded broadcasts, along with podcasting capabilities. In addition, a third flexible studio space will accommodate various community activities, including performance training, dance rehearsals, and music workshops.

Computer generated image of how the hub will look (Image: FTC)

It is hoped the community café will become a hub for people to meet, socialise and share ideas and stories.

To ensure inclusivity and accessibility, the SPF funding also includes the appointment of a dedicated Community Engagement Outreach Officer.

This role is to engage with young people, educators, organizations, and community groups, ensuring that the Re-Source project serves all needs in the community.

Construction is set to begin in April under the guidance of M Hormann (architects) with completion anticipated by Spring 2025.

Jayne Kirkham, Cornwall Councillor and Falmouth Town Councillor, expressed her excitement, stating: "The Re-Source project is not just about revitalising a precious but derelict public building; it's about providing a place where local people can connect, learn, and unleash their potential in music, digital, production and so many other skills. A space for Falmouth to be creative."

Simon Neild and Jade Dunbar, representing Source FM, shared their enthusiasm, envisioning Re-Source as a catalyst for community enrichment: "This project embodies the spirit of inclusivity, diversity and creativity that Source FM stands for,” they said.

Kimberley Park Lodge has lain empty for many years (Image: File)

“We are eager to see how Re-Source will empower individuals to explore their passions, share their stories, and forge meaningful connections within our vibrant community."

Gareth Churcher, from Cornwall Music Service Trust (CMST), a charity providing music teaching, support, and therapy for close to 10,000 children in Cornwall, said the project will help facilitate its work as a charity: “We see this facility as incredibly important for music education in Cornwall. We are now in our 10th year of operation and are very excited about the tangible opportunities the Kimberley Park Lodge Re-Source Project will present, providing an efficient and effective environment to facilitate our work as a charity.”

Local stakeholders, including schools, organizations, and community groups or anyone interested in getting involved in the Re-Source project, are invited to get in touch directly with Community Outreach Officer Nicola Burgess. Nicola can be contacted by email nicolaburgess@falmouthtowncouncil.com