by Kerenza Moore

A NUMBER of community led projects are taking shape as Bodmin looks to the future.

Earlier this year a Charrette event brought local people together to co-design a vision for regenerating the town centre.

One of the key findings from the Charrette was the recognition of the importance of Bodmin’s unique Cornish history and culture, and the need to protect and preserve key local buildings.

One of the town’s most iconic buildings is the Old Library at the top of Fore Street. Originally opened in 1897, the building housed the town’s main library until the service was moved to Chy Trevail in 2017.

Owned by Cornwall Council, the Victorian building is currently leased by local community and arts organisation intoBodmin, who use the space as a community café and venue for creative activities. The building also houses the local branch of the Citizen’s Advice service.

Restoring

IntoBodmin have been working hard to raise nearly £600,000 to buy the Old Library from the Council and carry out a package of extensive refurbishments, including replacing windows, repointing, better insulation, rewiring and restoring of some of the historic features.

Last month the group heard they had been awarded a grant of £250k from Arts Council England’s Capital Investment Programme.

They have now also been awarded a further £150k from the Architectural Heritage Fund. Fin Irwin, founder and co-director of intoBodmin, said: “The Old Library was originally opened by John Passmore Edwards as a free library for the people of Bodmin.

“He built a legacy that championed social mobility by inspiring people through access to books and learning. In taking over this building when the library left, we wanted to build on this legacy by creating opportunities for people to be inspired through access to arts and culture.

“These grants will help us to achieve our aim of owning the building and invest in improving its condition, its access and its visibility.

“We hope to be able to start work on the refurbishing the building at the beginning of 2023.

“A fantastic range of different projects and ideas for transforming the town centre came out of the Charrette process,” said Carol Randall, Chair of Bodmin Town Team.

“We have been working with our partners to produce the first draft of the Town Centre Action Plan which will support the next steps in our journey to create a vibrant and sustainable town centre.

“We are planning for the first draft of the Plan to be completed by the end of the summer when we will be able to share it with the local community.”

A successful bid for £80,000 from the Town Vitality fund by the Town Council will now act as a springboard into accessing other funding streams, says mayor Phil Cooper.

Other ideas put forward by the local community during the Charrette included using art to improve the appearance of the opes (alleyways) which link the town centre with the rest of the town, and co-ordinating the array of visitor attractions to focus on Bodmin and encouraging more people into the town centre all year round.

Meanwhile a new walking trail of the town centre is set to launch.

Dubbed “Saints and Sinners” the walk will focus on religion, architecture, military history and the stories surrounding the law courts and jail.