OKEHAMPTON Table Tennis Club is getting closer to opening its premises in Castle Road after receiving a lottery grant of £250,000 but wants all sectors of the community to benefit from the facilities.
The club is hoping to attract other sports clubs and groups to use the premises when the sports hall is not being used for table tennis.
The building, which is two months away from completion, will have a table tennis practice room, a sports hall and social area.
Vice-chairman of the club Fred Phillips said there would be two tables in use all the time and the sports hall could cater for nine extra tables.
'There will be times when the sports hall is not in use for table tennis and so we would like to hire it out to sports organisations and clubs,' he said.
'It could be the skittles club, line-dancing, whatever — it all brings in a little bit of revenue to help get it off the ground as a table tennis centre.'
The premises is also being offered as a home venue for local clubs who do not have their own facilities such as Bridestowe.
Mr Phillips said the nearest centre of this kind for table tennis was at St Austell and it was the intention to hold county championships at Okehampton.
The 40-member club, which has been using the Charter Hall for many years to play table tennis, started working on getting its own premises five years ago. The project finally came to fruition following a successful bid to the lottery.
Mr Phillips said it was a very exciting time for the club: 'For years we used other halls where tables had to be put up and taken down again at the end of the session.
'Now everything will be in place and can be used at any time — it is great for the club and great for Okehampton.'
Mayor of Okehampton Christine Marsh is equally enthusiastic about the project.
She said: 'It is another exciting thing for Okehampton — with other plans and ideas to improve and enhance sporting facilities such as a sports arena in the East Okement Valley I think this may be the beginning of a sports centre of excellence for Okehampton.'
Anyone who would be interested in hiring the hall can contact Mr Phillips on 01822 617319.