Friday, May 6, 1966

A LONG-HELD dream became reality this week as a new £10,000 sports pavilion was opened in Close Park.

The achievement marks the start of a series of modern amenities that Radcliffe Council's Parks Committee hopes to be able to provide for residents in future years.

The building was opened at a ceremony on Thursday, in which reference was made to the fact that it should have been open six months earlier.

It was the first such event ever held by the council to which representatives of the contractors were not invited, after the anger caused by the months of delays.

The building has five dressing rooms for men and one for women, two main shower rooms, and separate facilities for referees.

All the changing rooms are equipped with overhead electric heaters.

Introducing the mayor at the ceremony, Cllr S Threlfall said that, despite the delays, there was no doubt that it was a superb building and a tremendous amenity for the park.

He added that he was convinced that as the years went on, more and more new recreation features would be needed.

He said: "Every day the country's roads are becoming more and more choked and people, I think, will be more inclined to stay at home in future for the enjoyment of much of their leisure.

"The public parks will be the places they will turn to as a pleasant place to spend their time."

The mayor, Alderman Richard Fletcher, recalled that he and others had fought for a number of years for a pavilion in Close Park before they were finally able to push the scheme through.

He added that the fact that none of the contractors had been invited to the opening was an indication of the council's displeasure at the situation, but young people responsible for vandalising the area had also contributed to the delays.

Mr Fletcher said that, while tax payers are entitled to public amenities, they come with a degree of responsibility and any misbehaviour around the new facilities should be reported to the council immediately.