Community centre work - latest
The bricks have been laid, steel structure is up and roof in place.
Now construction workers are turning their focus to the interior of a Priory Community Centre in Dudley.
The building will cost £800,000 to develop and will fill a hole left by an old centre in Pine Road which was knocked down.
Work started last November after a long campaign from ward councillors and members of the Priory Tenants and Residents Association.
The centre, opening in July, will feature two main rooms, a kitchen and toilets.
There will also be two changing rooms for sports teams, and one changing room for referees.
Castle and Priory ward Councillor Alan Finch said: "At last, we will have a community centre to be proud off.
"I am delighted for the Castle and Priory ward. I feel we are on the up as an area, and this is prove of that.
"We will have a first class centre to hold events, weddings, parties and council surgeries.
"Yes, it has been a long wait, but it will be worth it when it opens."
The new centre will open in July - but a date has yet been announced.
A ceremony organised by the Priory Tenants and Residents Association will be held to mark it.
Councillor Finch said: "It will be open for local teams, clubs and people wanting a base for their events.
"But once open it will be run by the association, we as a council will leave the running side of things."
The walls and roof have been built.
Inside, the bricks need to be plastered and a dividing wall will be put up in the main hall.
The toilets and kitchens facilities also need to be installed, as do benches for the changing rooms.
Donations of furniture for the new centre have come in from Dudley College and Dudley Council.
Work started on the site in November, with diggers moving on to the land near Donkey Pool playing fields on Priory Road.
The site had been empty since the former community buildings were knocked down in 2007.
The creation of the community centre comes as regeneration of land continues near the junction of Priory Road and the Birmingham New Road.
A new Aldi supermarket opened last month on the former site of the King Arthur pub, across the road from where the community centre is being built.
