Local charity, SensationAll, will unveil their plans for the Old Schoolhouse and Library on the 10th June, the Westhill and Elrick Community Council learned this week. Pinnacle Visualisation, the software firm behind the Marischal Square 3D visualisations, have been commissioned to showcase the charity’s designs in a big open day held at the Old Schoolhouse, on Westhill Road.

The charity hopes to be awarded an asset transfer for the council-owned facility and is preparing a five-year business plan to cover the necessary improvements to the buildings. SensationAll hope that by demonstrating the charity’s ability to manage such a project over sustained period that the asset transfer will be approved when their proposal goes in front of the council. Following a preliminary feasibility study undertaken by the Westhill Business Network, a feasibility study is now underway by Alison Simpson.

For more information about their plans, watch the video below:

Susan Strachan, a co-founder of the charity, emphasised the need for community support for the project. She stated her opinion that without public support for the project, we could see, “the building demolished and replaced with flats.”

SensationAll are also making a plea to other users of the building to publicly support their plans. Susan Strachan, along with co-founders Susan Kay and Adele Lindsay vehemently stressed that if other local organisations who relied on the building did not come forward, in their opinion, the building would become even more decrepit and potentially be sold. Adele Lindsay expressed her desire to build a “community centre for all” in Westhill; creating a focal-point within the community for groups to engage in a multitude of activity.

The Old Schoolhouse and adjacent Library are one of only a handful of historic buildings situated within the settlement boundary and is situated close to our town centre.

More information about the event and the charity is available in the Westhill Bulletin, at their stall at the Westhill Gala and on their website.

Article by Kieran Thomas Rorie for the Westhill and Elrick Community Council