VREDENBURG – After 16 years of service on the West Coast, the ArcelorMittal Saldanha Science Centre will be closing its doors next week, on Tuesday 30 June.
For more than a decade and a half, the centre has been a place of discovery, opportunity and encouragement for thousands of young people, educators, parents and community members, said Centre Manager Xavier Lawrence.
Through science, mathematics, technology, career guidance, robotics, Girls in Science Clubs, astronomy, reading initiatives, sleepovers, tours, educational visits and community outreach, the centre has reached an average of 10 000 learners and members of the public each year.
According to Lawrence, many of these experiences took learners and community members beyond the Weskus, exposing them to places of interest, career possibilities and learning opportunities they might not otherwise have had.
“These programmes created moments of inspiration, confidence and possibility that will remain with participants long after they visit the Science Centre. “We express our sincere appreciation to ArcelorMittal South Africa for its sustained investment in the Saldanha Bay community over the past 16 years. This commitment has created opportunities that have shaped aspirations, strengthened schools, and helped many young people envision a future for themselves in fields they might otherwise never have considered,” said Lawrence.
This follows the closing down of the ArcelorMittal Saldanha Works (known as “Saldanha Steel”) in 2020, resulting in many job losses.
Lawrence said that as centre manager for the past nine years, he is exceptionally proud to have led a dedicated team that consistently exceeded expectations. “Their commitment, professionalism and genuine care for the community shaped the centre into what it became. They did delivered programmes, built trust, inspired confidence and created meaningful connections.
“Our relationships with the schools within the Saldanha Bay Municipality remain among the centre’s greatest achievements. The principals, teachers, learners, partners and stakeholders who opened their doors and worked alongside us gave our work real meaning. Together, we created spaces where learning was exciting, accessible and linked to possibility.”
Although the ArcelorMittal Saldanha Science Centre will be closing as a result of the financial constraints facing ArcelorMittal South Africa, the parent company, the management team has been deeply overwhelmed by the response from schools, partners, stakeholders and community members.
These messages have reinforced the profound value that the centre has brought to the West Coast.
“The West Coast is a better place because of the ArcelorMittal Foundation Saldanha Science Centre. We thank every participant, learner, parent, teacher, community member, housewife, grandparent, local fisher, partner and stakeholder who benefited from, supported or took part in our many programmes. We hope you are as proud of us as we are of you.”
Lawrence thanks the West Coast community and ArcelorMittal for believing in the value of investing in people.
