7:00am Friday 30th July 2010
By Emily Allen
CRICKETERS are hoping that improvements to an Oxford recreation ground are given the go-ahead after thousands of pounds of redevelopment cash was earmarked for the site.
Oxford City Council has drawn up plans to improve facilities at Cowley Marsh recreation ground to the tune of £49,000.
Work will include extending the existing play area, replacing cricket nets and improving the tennis courts and will be completed by the end of the year.
Much of the funding is coming from developer Berkeley Homes, which is redeveloping a former bus garage site, off Oxford Road, and the Cherwell Housing Trust, which has redeveloped a plot of land in Salesian Gardens, off Crescent Road, in Temple Cowley.
Earlier this month Richard Burton, secretary of Oxford Caribbean Cricket Club, called on the council to invest in new cricket strips and nets at sites in the city, including Cowley Marsh.
He said public pitches and practice areas had deteriorated so much that players were often forced to travel across the city to find better grounds, including facilities owned by Oxford University.
Last night he welcomed the potential of new investment.
He said: “It’s brilliant news. It’s long overdue.
“At the moment there is nothing, we are using the tennis courts to practice because there is no area to play cricket.
“We will now finally have somewhere to practice and it will benefit the local people because there are a lot of people that play cricket. We’ve had completely useless cricket facilities for about eight years.”
The play area will have additional play equipment insta-lled, with new fencing and improved safety matting.
The new £25,000 cricket facility will have two astro-turf wickets surrounded by safety netting and will be open to the general public on a casual basis.
Any remaining money will be spent making minor improvements to the run-down tennis courts, such as cleaning the courts and remarking the lines.
Work is expected to be complete before Christmas.
City council spokesman Louisa Dean said members of the Cowley area committee would decide whether to rubberstamp the plans on Wednesday.
Bob Timbs, the council’s executive member for leisure, said: “It’s great news.
“There are a lot of young Asian lads who really enjoy cricket so they will really benefit. It will be well used, especially the extended play area, it’s one of the busiest play areas in Cowley.”
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