Dagenham Civic Centre

History

The National Government of the United Kingdom purchased 135 acres under a private Act of Parliament in August 1928 with the intention of using the area as public space. Planners decided to earmark the entrance to the area, since named Central Park, as the site of a new municipal building which was intended to be the work premises for members of the local authority.

Construction of the Civic Centre began in 1936 and was completed in around October the following year. It was built to an Art Deco design by E. Berry Webber who was a prolific designer of English municipal buildings. Berry Webber originally intended for it to be part of a complex which was also to include a fire station, library, shops, assembly hall and theatre. The plan never came to fruition. The building featured lily ponds within the grounds which became known as "blue lagoons" by the locals. The ponds were illuminated and filled with goldfish. The fish gradually died out, and in 1953 the ponds were filled in.

The foundation stone was laid by Harry Snell, 1st Baron Snell on 11 July 1936. It was officially opened on 16 October the following year by Sir Kingsley Wood who was at that time the Secretary of State for Health.

Design

The Civic Centre’s interior consists of a stair hall which is made using champagne-coloured Botticino marble. The ceilings are decorated with art deco paintings and the interior doors are mostly mahogany with bronze fixtures. The Council Chamber is semi-circular in layout and is made of walnut-panels. The Mayor’s Parlour is panelled using Canadian betula veneer and sycamore. The building also has specially designed walnut furniture.

Later history

In 1964 the local authority found the premises to be too small so extended it to the south. The Civic Centre was designated as a grade II listed building on 24 August 1981.

In March 2014 the building was threatened with closure because of the austerity cuts imposed by the national coalition government. Its sale had been suggested as a means to find savings of £53.5million. The plan was to turn the Civic Centre into a school; however, a petition, which was signed by 3,700 local residents and supporters, forced the council to defer their decision pending further information. The Labour politician for Dagenham and Rainham, Jon Cruddas, led calls to retain the building as a result of overwhelming public support. Local residents called the building the "heart of Dagenham" and thought that it served a purpose that "cannot be quantified". In December 2015, the council disclosed their plans to scrap the sale and to allow the building to remain as the Civic Centre.

Refurbishment

In 2003 the building underwent a major refurbishment. The work was carried out by the architects Richard Griffiths & Hawkins Brown who removed all non-original fittings and restored the original stonework. The ceiling was stripped to reveal the original paint colours which have since been retained. The main Council Chamber was fitted with audio-visual equipment, air conditioning, a scene-setting lighting scheme, induction loops and more flexible furniture to allow different seating plans. Also upgraded and remodelled were the meeting rooms, members lounge, washrooms, kitchen and offices. Lifts were also installed in the main foyer.

CU London

In September 2017, CU London, a new university in Dagenham part of the Coventry University Group, will launch in the Civic Centre. The construction company Wilmott Dixon has been awarded a £4.5 million contract to modernise the building and repurpose it for higher educational purposes.

Television and film

The Civic Centre's interior, staircase and main foyer have been used in an episode of the ITV crime series Poirot. In 2015 the building was used in the film London Road starring Tom Hardy.