Not the most beautiful building in Hitchin, Walsworth Community Centre is - like many of the other community spaces around the town - used by a huge range of groups and families and run by volunteers.
Its potential destruction seems a shame, but should money be spent on its renovation?
Like all these cases, there are at least two sides to the argument. Sometimes it's difficult to see which is 'right'.
One thing is certainly true - once buildings are demolished, they can't be brought back.
The replacement can be better - like the new flats next to Moore's bookshop - but are often worse (fill in your own idea of the worst 'modern' buildings around the town).
The trouble with community spaces is that they are used by the community. People who live close to the building. Offering a replacement that's the other side of the town doesn't help.
When you drive everywhere, it's easy to forget the people who can't. Many families in Hitchin don't have one car, let alone two. Local community spaces and sports facilities are vital.
If you want to find out more, read the background to the petition here
