Hoylake Parade community centre 3.9

Hoylake Parade Community Centre is a multi-purpose public building located in Hoylake, Wirral, which serves as a community centre for the local area.History as a schoolThe parade centre was built in 1909, as The Parade Higher Elementary School which opened 1910, with 89 pupils on roll, each paying fees of 6d per week. Pupils were admitted selectively by entrance examination from the age of 12.In 1939, the second world war led to the evacuation of nearby Liverpool led to 230 evacuees being admitted temporarily to the school.With the opening of the co-educational Hilbre School in nearby Newton, the school became an annex of the new school in 1973, which it remained until it was ultimately deemed surplus to educational requirements as a school in 1984.Subsequent historyFollowing its closure as a school, the building was used for a variety of community purposes, including accommodating a youth club and evening classes on the site. By the end of the 1980s however, the building was earmarked by the local council for closure and demolition, though this decision was overturned following a community campaign.An extensive redevelopment of the facility has been undertaken in recent years, with refurbishment of most of the building’s rooms and interior spaces.In 2009, the building celebrated its centenary with a number of public events.