Welcome Glen Farmhouse community centre opens its doors to the community

The new Welcome Glen Farmhouse community centre, officially opened on Saturday, July 19, is set to become a vital hub for local residents, offering a safe and accessible space for community-building activities, social support, and youth programmes.

Around 50 people attended the launch of the centre, which was made possible through the efforts of the Welcome Glen Community Voluntary Association (WGCVA), with support from the City of Cape Town. The City assisted in securing approval from the South African Heritage Resources Agency (SAHRA), which carried out restoration work on the building.

WGCVA chairperson Conway Lotter said the opening of this community is an “amazing day," adding that the centre will serve multiple purposes for the community.

“We have now recently used it as a holiday club for the kids, it's a meeting place for local people,” he said.

Local organisations like the Neighbourhood Watch, Community Policing Forums, book clubs and environmental clubs can make use of this space as well as a meeting place to deal with social matters.

Mr Lotter said the site had been in a derelict state for over 10 years before his organisation became involved five years ago. The restoration work carried out by SAHRA included replacing all the flooring, repainting the walls, and repairing the building’s electrical systems.

The organisation, he said, had raised more than R25 000 through its recent potjiekos competition and Christmas carols fund-raiser to pay a deposit to SAHRA to lease the property.

In order to remain sustainable every month, a coffee shop and small restaurant will trade from the community centre and pay a monthly rent.

He said the WGCVA will also have a "welcome trading" room which will have a variety of items made by local entrepreneurs and second-hand goods 

A nursery will also be available on the property for the community to buy plants.

At the launch, City of Cape Town speaker Felicity Purchase said the farmhouse had previously become a problem building for the city.

“People were squatting in the building and we tried to ask SAHRA to get involved with upgrading the building for many years,” she said, adding that WGCVA came with a plan to take over this building.

“We, from the sub-council, helped the community to drive their programme to SAHRA in order to get the building upgraded,” she said, adding that the community centre is important in building the community.

“The City is not about its assets and infrastructure; our biggest assets are our people,” she said.

The Echo tried to reach SAHRA for comment, but had not received a response at the time of going to print.

To find out more about the community centre, email welcomeglenfarmhouse@gmail.com or call Mr Lotter at 082 262 3755.