Cornerstone House Is Open For Business: Latest Building Update In Relation To COVID-19

Cornerstone House Centre’s community-owned building has reopened its doors to the public after the latest four-month closure enforced by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, with room and facilities hire once again available.

As all of mainland Scotland had been in strict lockdown since the turn of the year, the building had been closed at all times except a Thursday evening opening of crisis service provider Bethlehem House of Bread Food Bank and essential provisions of the charity Partners In Play.

With First Minister Nicola Sturgeon reducing pandemic restrictions to Level 2 as of Monday 17 May 2021, the popular venue at 1 Esk Walk (Town Centre, Cumbernauld, G67 1BZ) has resumed operation with relevant safety precautions, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) and high standards of cleanliness in place.

As well as Bethlehem House of Bread Food Bank and Partners In Play, organisations recommencing services from the facility as of April 2021 include Cornerstone House Centre, ACH Dance Company and Musical Theatre, Rhythm Time Cumbernauld, Slimming World, Abronhill Credit Union, Caroline Jane Dance Academy, GTF Cumbernauld Taekwondo and XS Taekwondo Cumbernauld.

Cornerstone Cafe, which offers breakfasts, lunches, snacks and refreshments through both a sit-in and takeaway service, reopened on Tuesday 18 May 2021 and for now will be open every Tuesday-Saturday from 10.00am-3.00pm. Latest updates can be accessed by visiting the Cafe’s Facebook page.

Updates on when Sunday worship services and other activities provided by Cornerstone Christian Fellowship will restart can be obtained by visiting the church’s Facebook page and website.

Meanwhile, Cornerstone House Centre’s Community Space facility, located at Unit 14 of Antonine Shopping Centre, will open only for specific events over the coming weeks. This includes the return of VMJ Acting Academy every Saturday and monthly Cancer Awareness Roadshows hosted by Cancer Research UK, the next of which will take place on Wednesday 9 June 2021 from 10.00am-4.00pm. Mary McNeil, Development Manager at Cornerstone House Centre, commented:

“Cornerstone House Centre is delighted that its community-owned facility is reopen and is welcoming back its regular and occasional service users.

“Once again, we thank all tenants and visitors for their patience and understanding during the period of building closure over these past few months.

“Given its considerable size, openness and suitability for social distancing, Cornerstone House potentially has a very significant role to play in enabling local community groups, voluntary sector organisations, social enterprises, businesses and public sector agencies to cautiously yet safely return to providing face-to-face services.

“Crucially, for groups which ordinarily hire small, contained facilities in and around Cumbernauld, Cornerstone House Centre can offer a short or long term suitably alternative venue as the local area recovers and rebuilds from the pandemic.

“Those interested in hiring space can be assured that a full health and safety risk assessment in relation to COVID-19 has been undertaken and that Cornerstone House Centre as an organisation is committed to taking every reasonable step to ensure the safety of all visitors from the moment they enter until the moment they leave the building.

“This includes clear instructions for safe walking routes around the premises, the installation of several hand sanitising stations and Perspex screens at reception and other areas where Centre staff and volunteers are operating.

“Furthermore, including fire exits, there are six possible access points to the building which can safely be made use of by hiring groups in agreement with Cornerstone House Centre and other facility users.”

In relation to social distancing, one major advantage which Cornerstone House has over many other community venues in Cumbernauld is that the facility is large, wide and highly spacious, making it a perfect place for organisations to set up base in a spaced-out pattern for various purposes including training, meetings, exercise classes, community events, trading and much more.

Notably, the disabled-friendly building has a very open and roomy layout with easy opportunities to see and assess the movement of others from a distance apart. It benefits from having modern spacious toilets, an open-plan kitchen area and the absence of tight corridors and blind corners.  

The largest amenity in Cornerstone House is an adaptable Conference Hall, which under normal circumstances has a capacity to accommodate 500 theatre style, 250 for tabled meetings and 80 for fitness classes. Even at 25% capacity due to social distancing measures, the Conference Hall is comfortably able to safely host a significant number of people.

The Centre also contains a modern ICT and Soft Skills Suite, several large and small meeting rooms suitable for one-to-one meetings, group meetings and weekly activities, and office facilities which can be employed as a permanent or outreach base for local organisations.

Each room within the building has been customised to meet social distancing requirements. A full overview of facilities available can be accessed by clicking here, noting that the capacities highlighted relate to normal operation and non-social distancing.

Since opening in 2010, Cornerstone House has become an established, popular and contemporary meeting place for Cumbernauld citizens. Its central location, ease of access for parking and close proximity to Cumbernauld Bus Terminal, Antonine Shopping Centre, Tesco Extra and Fleming House make Cornerstone House a prime venue for many groups and citizens to utilise.

If you would be interested in making enquiry about hiring rooms or facilities, please contact Cornerstone House Centre on 01236 739220 / 07940 569527 or email admin@cornerstone-house.org.uk. Alternatively, enquiries can be directed through our website contact page. To access Cornerstone House Centre’s image gallery of facilities, click here.

===================================================================

LEVEL 2 RESTRICTIONS: WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR CUMBERNAULD CITIZENS?

In 2020, Scottish Government set out a new structure of COVID-19 protection levels (sometimes known as tiers or the tier system) for local authority areas across the country. There are five different levels, with 0 being the lowest level and 4 being the highest level.

North Lanarkshire is currently at the third highest level of protection, Level 2. To understand what this means for Cumbernauld citizens in terms of meeting others indoors, meeting others outdoors, socialising, shopping, travel, transport, public buildings and schools, download Scottish Government’s Level 2 Measures Information Page.  

During 2020, to assist people in the Cumbernauld area during lockdown, Cornerstone House Centre published The Cumbernauld Coronavirus 101 Directory. This details 101 organisations, services, supports and resources across the public, voluntary and private sectors which may be of benefit to Cumbernauld citizens during the coronavirus pandemic, consisting of a mixture of local, regional and national provisions.