Multi Use Games Area Project in Chieveley
You may have already noticed that work to refurbish the old tennis court area at Chieveley Recreational Centre has started.
Through the Parish Plan consultation this area was identified as in need of refurbishment. This led to discussion and planning between the Parish Council, Chieveley Village Hall & Recreational Centre Committee and their club/group representatives. A project vision was agreed and after meeting a positive response, particularly at the last Parish Plan consultation event in Chieveley, has been progressed to the next stage.
The project involves re-tarmacing the whole of the old tennis court area and the installation on part of it of a new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA). The MUGA will offer a number of sporting activity options for the community including five a side football, tennis, basketball and netball. There will also be an integrated cricket wicket section for the keen cricket fans wishing to practise their bowling skills. The MUGA will be open to all on a first come, first served basis, and users are asked to make sure that it is left free of litter, so that all can enjoy it.
Funding for the project has come from S106 developer contributions for public open space improvements generated by local housing developments in the area, a youth fund from the Parish Council of £4,000, Cllr Cole being very successful in securing a member capital bid of £30,000 and £390 from West Berkshire Council’s Healthy and Active Parishes Fund.
A small amount of the Parish precept will be used annually to ensure the appropriate maintenance is planned and carried out and to ensure the future of the MUGA.
The project is due to be completed in early April. However the various sporting activity lines cannot be marked out on the surface until June when the tarmac has rested. It is very easy to damage the new tarmac, both inside and outside the MUGA, by walking or riding on it before it has had time to set. There will be warning signs, but you are all asked to help to ensure that it is not spoilt by being used too soon.
We will endeavour to give updates on the village website during the project’s progress. As soon as the MUGA is complete, work will start on resurfacing the car park adjoining the tennis courts, and on putting in an emergency exit path from the back of the club room in the Recreation Centre, to ensure that disabled users could safely leave the building if anything made it impossible to get out of the main door. The path is being funded by a grant from COMMA, part of Action with Communities in Rural England (ACRE), and the surfacing of the car park is being jointly paid for by the Recreation Centre and the Tennis Club.
When all the work is completed we should have, with the Tennis Club courts, the children’s playground and the MUGA, an excellent new sporting facility in Chieveley, serving all ages and a wide variety of interests. In particular, the MUGA, together with the revival of interest in youth football and cricket (thanks to the dedicated work of local volunteers), means that there will soon be far better sporting opportunities for young people in the village.
