A Renfrewshire charity is pursuing plans to create a multi-cultural hub in Paisley.
Pachedu, an organisation which seeks to support people from ethnic minority backgrounds living in Renfrewshire, has launched a consultation on proposals to establish the centre within the former Falcon Day Centre.
Previously a day centre for older people, the Ferguslie Park building was last year dubbed surplus to requirements by Renfrewshire Council.
The local authority has since confirmed Pachedu has expressed an interest in acquiring the property on Falcon Crescent through a community asset transfer (CAT).
The charity has not responded to media comment requests in relation to its plans for the site. The Paisley Daily Express has, however, seen the consultation documents seeking people’s views on the proposals.
Paper copies of the consultation, circulated in Ferguslie’s Tannahill Centre, state: “Pachedu propose to develop the Falcon Day Centre into a multi-cultural hub. The centre will enable Pachedu to extend the range of services offered to the wider host communities and increase the number of individuals/families from diverse ethnic communities supported.”
Ferguslie residents have, however, raised concerns about the proposal.
Terry McTernan, chair of Ferguslie Park Community Council, said members were worried the centre may create division within a community which has worked hard to integrate ethnic minorities in the area.
Terry said: “I am very conscious of the racial undertones of this debate but there are very real concerns that this will fundamentally create a centre for black people and those from minority ethnic backgrounds and a white centre in the existing Tannahill Centre.
“We would want to see all buildings and resources within the community preserved for everyone’s use and not one single organisation.
“We have heard that the building could become a Centre for African Culture and while we think this is admiral, we would question how appropriate this would be in a small corner of Ferguslie Park.
“Should this be the ambition for Pachedu, it would be more appropriate in Paisley town centre for the use of people from across Renfrewshire and beyond.
“For all of these reasons Ferguslie Park Community Council will object to the CAT application.”
A spokesperson for Renfrewshire Council said any organisation seeking to obtain a council building via a community asset transfer would need to demonstrate support for its proposals as part of the application process.
They said: “We are aware that Pachedu are preparing to submit a request for a community asset transfer but this has not yet been received.
“Once received, in line with all CAT applications, it will be published for a minimum of 20 working days to allow the community to consider it and make any representations.”
The permanent closure of Falcon Day Centre, which was used as such until the Covid-19 pandemic, was approved by the integration joint board – the body responsible for oversight of Renfrewshire Health and Social Care Partnership (HSCP) – in March last year.
At that time, the council said the building would be marketed for sale should any CAT application fail to be successful.
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