Port Erin
Commissioners and Rushen Heritage Trust agree lease to create Heritage Centre
in Port Erin
Port Erin Commissioners is pleased
to announce that it has agreed a long-term lease with Rushen Heritage Trust
(RHT) for the former bus shelter on Bridson Street in Port Erin.
The building, which became surplus
to requirements following the Station Road regeneration project in 2017, will
be repurposed as a Heritage Centre for RHT, to be known as Tree Archyn (Three
Arches), which will be used as a Community Hub and multi-purpose base to
support the Trust’s online and other activities.
Chair of the Commissioners Godfrey
Egee said, “We are delighted to have signed a 99-year lease with Rushen
Heritage Trust who will be converting the buildings use to operate as centre
for the Trust. The plans approved in 2019 will see the creation of a fantastic
community facility right in the heart of Port Erin. Rushen Heritage Trust has
flourished since its formation in 2014 following a request by Port Erin
Commissioners for ideas from the public for future development of the village.
To now close that loop and assist RHT establish a Heritage Centre within Port
Erin is a wonderful story.”
Mr Egee added, “The creation of
Tree Archyn is a great addition to Port Erin and very timely with the launch of
the Visit Port Erin initiative. The Board is very much looking forward to
working alongside RHT and looks forward to seeing the Centre open in the coming
months.”
Professor Hugh Davidson, Chairman
of RHT, commented, "We are thrilled to have secured this site for our new
Heritage Centre. Last year, we identified the need for a low-cost but highly
visible centre and then learned that the former bus shelter was scheduled to be
demolished. It seemed an ideal site for our needs, so we approached the
Commissioners. The Board, along with Clerk Jason Roberts, have been very
supportive and worked closely with us to finalise the lease.
"Tree Archyn will have
several roles - visitor centre, exhibition space, meeting venue, much-needed
storage facilities for the Trust, and as a community hub. Planning permission
was granted last summer and we are about to put the project out to tender. We
are incredibly lucky to have Alison and Robert Graham managing the project for
us. Alison is a leading member of our WWII Women's Internment team and both she
and Robert are qualified quantity surveyors."
Professor Davidson added, "It
was one of our Directors, Staffan Overgaard, who spotted the bus shelter
opportunity for the Trust, and another of our Directors, Hon Juan Watterson
SHK, has provided great support. One of key members, Pam Crowe, kicked off our
fundraising efforts last summer with a hugely successful Secret Gardens &
Hidden Treasures event and our heartfelt thanks go to those organisations and
individuals who have since provided financial support towards the project -
Manx Lottery Trust, Celton Manx and anonymous individuals who have provided
major donations, along with the Gough Ritchie Trust, which has awarded a
conditional grant.
"We are close to achieving
our required total and will announce more details soon of ways in which the
community can get involved in supporting the Heritage Centre."
It is anticipated that Tree Archyn
Heritage Centre will be open to the public by late July this year.
Pictured (L to R) Mr Godfrey Egee (Chair to Port Erin
Commissioners), Mrs Sandra Davidson and Professor Hugh Davidson (Directors of
Rushen Heritage Trust)
Issued by Port Erin Commissioners on 6th March 2020
For further
information please contact:
Jason Roberts, Clerk,
Port Erin Commissioners
Email j.roberts@porterin.gov.im
Tel (01624) 832298
John Quirk, Heritage Coordinator, Rushen Heritage Trust
Email: rushenht@gmail.com
Tel: (07624) 464634
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