Eastwood Park’s new sports pavilion is now complete and will be opened officially on Saturday 16th May by Councillor John Burrows.
The facility will provide changing facilities for sports groups using the park as well as a tea room and kitchen facilities and a community meeting room. It will also have new male, female and disabled toilets which will be open to users of the park to replace the ones currently open on Hasland Road.
The project has been funded partly by a grant of £150,000 from Sport England’s Inspired Facilities fund, with the remaining £201,000 provided by Chesterfield Borough Council.
Councillor Chris Ludlow, Chesterfield Borough Council’s executive member for health and well being, said:-
“We have lots of regular users of the park’s sports facilities, including bowling, football and cricket clubs and we hope that the new pavilion will bring new groups into the park.
“Our thanks go to Sport England for their grant funding, without which the new pavilion would not have been possible.
“I’m particularly proud that our builders and apprentices have delivered the project – offering the most cost-effective solution and providing employment for local people.”
Charles Johnston, Sport England’s property director, added:-
“The Inspired Facilities Fund has made a huge impact on grassroots sports since its inception, and remains one of our most popular funds. Since 2011, we have invested £94 million into 1,800 projects to improve and refurbish existing sports facilities all over the country.”
“It is great to see Eastwood Park join the long list of successful projects to benefit from this fund and we are looking forward to seeing these improvements make a huge difference to the local community, and to help more people to play sport.”
During the ceremony a plaque will also be unveiled to thank the Friends of Eastwood Park for their hard work, support and dedication during the park’s restoration project.
Eastwood Park reopened in June 2013 after a 10 month refurbishment thanks to £1.3 million in funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and the Big Lottery Fund.