A wide range of potential options have been thought to be under consideration - but The Courier has learned details of several of the ambitious ideas being considered.
The ideas include the conversion of any one of se veral existing buildings - mostly in public ownership - being given a new or additional use as a community base.
Buildings known to have been considered by both the community steering group formed under the umbrella of Garstang partnership, and as part of a confidential feasibility study being completed for Wyre Council at a cost of more than £14,625, are:
+ the magistrates' training centre, Thomas's Weind (currently owned by HM Courts Service)
+ Windsor Road library (owned by the county council)
+ the Windsor Road leisure centre (owned by Wyre Council)
It has also been mooted that a new swimming pool could be built at Garstang High School, which would leave the current pool building off Birch Road available for conversion into a community centre.
And, as The Courier went to press, it was also learned that Booths is to be approached to see if the company might be prepared to let its "old" store on Singleton's Weind, be used as a community centre once the new store opens in 2009.
All the alternatives which are being examined would need major modifications and/or extensions for conversion to a community centre - assuming their current owners agree.
The original idea of converting the old council offices/Discovery Centre into a plush, hi-tech community base remains an option, but the failure of the recent application for a £1million lottery grant for that idea could make it less likely.
The old council offices/Discovery Centre are owned by Wyre Council. Previous suggestions for it have included demolition and selling off the site for homes, and partial demolition with the building of flats at the rear.
Last year several community groups protested when Wyre Council revealed that if it sold off the building, the cash raised from its sale might not all be spent in Garstang. They demanded that all the money raised be "ring fenced" for spending in Garstang.
This week, in answer to a question from The Courier the council refused to say if the building is sold all the money raised would be spent in Garstang. The council said: "We cannot speculate at this time."
Ten sites in and around Garstang have been "eyed up" as part of a survey by an outside consultant for Wyre Council, though the serious options have been whittled down to three, one of which is thought to be the existing council offices/Discovery building.
Wyre Council's cabinet ordered the consultant's report last year but so far the only group to see preliminary findings have been Garstang Partnership and some rural councillors.
When The Courier asked for a copy of the preliminary report we were told it was "confidential."
A council spokeswoman said: "It includes commercially sensitive information and assurances have been given that issues regarding land and property being on the market, valuations etc, will not be disclosed."
The second phase of the feasibility study will be complete by the end of May.
A steering group has been set up to under the umbrella of Garstang Partnership to look at the various options. Details of the group's interest in the magistrates' training centre as a possible base for a future community centre were confirmed last week when a Courier journalist spotted a group of streering group members being given an early morning fact-finding tour of the old building next to The Courier office.
Garstang Partnership manager Joanne Golton declined to comment on the speculation when approached by The Courier.
l Rumours that Garstang's bid for £1million lottery funding to revamp the old council offices had failed because the application was delivered too late have been roundly condemned.
The rumours began circulating in the town late last week, and by the weekend had been repeated to The Courier by a leading local personality.
Commenting on the rumours GP manager Joanne Golton said: This is absolute rubbish! We got past all the stages including visits and assessments - they wouldn't have done that if the application was in late - we wouldn't even have been considered! I can't believe this nonsense gets put round the town- am really cross!"
GP chairman Lady Dulcie Atkins, who is the current chairman of the Town Trust also condemned the rumours as untrue.