IT was once home to a River Tees shipbuilder and a medal-winning Olympic rower but now Elmwood is a buoyant community centre with expansion plans on the horizon for 2015.

The first of Hartburn’s large detached houses built in Stockton in 1873 is now throwing open its doors to encourage people to make use of the historic venue.

As well as regular exercise classes and social events, it has housed the Janet Dickinson School of Dance for 48 years and Elmwood Playgroup which was rated ‘outstanding’ in its latest Ofsted report.

The Hartburn Dancewear stockist has hosted several Mums’ of Hartburn craft fairs and this Sunday sees the first Solo Styles festive vintage fair from 11am to 3pm and is set to be a regular fixture next year.

The new year will also see the launch of a community café run in a vintage tea room which is set to attract more visitors.

Its first inhabitant, Lewis Dodshon, moved out in 1882 following the death of his young wife and it stood empty for three years until industrialist Mountjoy Pearse and his family took up residence.

His company Mountjoy Pearse & Co was a prominent shipbuilder on the River Tees and he was co-founder of the shipyard Pearse, Lockwood & Co and owner of the Malleable Iron Company in Hartlepool.

A bronze medal-winner with the rowing eight at the 1908 Olympics who became High Sheriff of Durham and was awarded an MBE for his services during the First World War, Harold E Kitching bought the mansion in 1926.

With the threat of air raids looming, chemical company ICI moved into Elmwood in 1939 using the building as a research laboratory and it was turned into a community centre in 1952.

It is one of four local centres transferred recently from Stockton Borough Council to a new organisation it has formed, called OnSite Community Building Trust. With charitable status, the venues can more easily access grant funding and could save the local authority almost £200,000 each year.

Lynn Paley from OnSite said: “We’re keen to encourage the community to make use of the wonderful facilities on offer at Elmwood whether they fancy learning to dance, picking up a bargain or calling in for a cup of tea.

“We are committed to expanding this provision even further and encourage people to get in touch and discuss their ideas.”

As well as Elmwood, OnSite is also now responsible for Grangefield, Robert Atkinson and Stillington youth and community centres located across the borough.

As well as now having a centralised booking system there will also be more money available to spend on maintaining and improving activities offered.