A £2m healthy living centre on Canvey still looks in jeopardy despite a £500,000 cash boost.

Castle Point residents were today given renewed hope the centre at the Paddocks, Long Road, would materalise.

Yet, in reality, the council only has two weeks left to raise the same amount again or lose the £985,000 put aside for the project by the lottery two years ago.

Highways and Leisure chairman Ray Howard said an extension to the September 1 deadline or last-minute Thames Gateway funding was the council's only hopes.

He said: "We have £500,000 from the East of England Development Agency and we are also trying to get funds from the Thames Gateway project.

"It all boils down to finances. We need £2 million for the project. We have got a small time frame to secure the rest of the funds so we are seeking an extension on that."

Mr Howard and other councillors visited a similar centre in Colchester. He said: "We learnt some valuable information from that.

"We are due to have another meeting this week to decide on the best way forward. The Paddocks is very popular and generally full up to capacity."

Published Tuesday August 17, 2004

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