News article
Work due to start at the Old Fire Station in Oxford
Oxford City Council is working with Crisis to redevelop the site of the Old Fire Station, after a bid was awarded funding from the Government’s Places of Change Programme.
The building work will start on August 9 and local artist Emma Reynard has helped seven homeless artists design and paint hoardings which will go around the site during the construction stage. Emma spent two days with the group assisting with the hoardings while Jeff Hubbard, a member of Crisis Skylight in London, worked with local photographer Caroline Seymour to document the project.
Councillor Bob Price, Leader of Oxford City Council, says: "We are pleased that we have got to this stage and the funding has been secured for this facility. The hoardings are an example of how the local community can work with homeless people and I hope that this continues as the Old Fire Station is redeveloped."
Leslie Morphy, Chief Executive of Crisis, says: "The redevelopment of the Old Fire Station is fast becoming a reality. It is exciting to meet the contractors and local businesses and residents in the community which we will soon be a part of, offering creating high quality spaces for performances, rehearsals, exhibitions and social enterprises."
The Old Fire Station will be home to a new Crisis Skylight centre providing education, training and employment opportunities for homeless and vulnerably housed people and a social enterprise, Crisis Skylight Café, will be open to the public.
There will also be high quality, flexible spaces for artistic professional development and training, and for community groups to use to offer performance and visual arts events, regular classes and courses for the public: these spaces will accommodate an auditorium, a galley and retail space, and a creative workspace for artists and designers.
The hoardings will be erected on Thursday 22 and Friday 23 July.
