ALMOST 60 years ago, the community in Rose Hill celebrated after a new £13,000 community centre opened in The Oval in September 1956.

Tomorrow the Lord Mayor of Oxford Rae Humberstone will open a new chapter in the history of the estate when he cuts the ribbon at the recently completed centre in Ashhurst Way.

The £4.7m building, which has the impressive Bill Buckingham ballroom at its heart, will also provide a new home to the junior youth club and the estate’s advice centre as well as housing a gym.

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The centre in 1962

But the closure of the old centre, which could make way for housing, marks the end of an era for many people in Rose Hill.

War hero and local resident Mr Buckingham, who served the area on Oxford City Council for 12 years as well as half a century of service on Littlemore Parish Council, will cut the ribbon with the Lord Mayor at noon.

The 94-year-old was chairman of Rose Hill Community Centre when it opened in 1956.

He said: “I have been involved with the community centre for about 70 years and I have a lot of happy memories.

“Before the old centre was a big army hut at the bottom of Ashhurst Way and there used to be dancing there during the war. It burned down and I kept the community association going in my house. Then eventually the city council said they would build the first phase of what is now the old centre in The Oval.”

The old centre was opened by the then Lord Mayor of Oxford WJ Allaway, Mr Buckingham and Oxford University Vice-Chancellor AH Smith.

Down the years it has hosted weddings, funerals, wakes, karaoke nights, birthday parties, community association meetings and dances.

Mr Buckingham said: “The new centre is a fantastic job. It is a hell of a size, it is fantastic. Let’s hope it’s a success.”

The old centre underwent a revamp in 1999 when the ballroom was refurbished using money from the bar profits.

About 120 people attended the official ceremony at the community association’s annual dinner.

City councillor for Rose Hill and Iffley Ed Turner and his wife Anneliese went on their first date at the community association’s dinner dance at the centre in 2002.

Mr Turner said: “The community association is closely associated with the people who made it what it was, people like Norman Brown and Bill Buckingham.

“They actually were largely responsible for the building of the centre and raising funds for it to be built.

“I’ve got some great memories there and it is essential the new centre becomes the same part of the community.

“I want to put on record my gratitude to all the people who kept the centre running during my time as a councillor.”

The opening ceremony for the centre, along with activities for families, will run from noon until 4pm tomorrow.

What are your memories of the old community centre? Email us to share them