Work on new park pavilion under way

BULLDOZERS have moved in to demolish Devonport Park's old bowls pavilion.

The new building, which is part of a £5million makeover for the park, will have a cafe and toilets, changing rooms, a community room and will be used by the local bowls teams and other community groups such as the Friends of Devonport Park.

The 1930s building will be replaced by a £780,000 eco-friendly pavilion, timber-framed and clad in cedar, a sustainable material.

It will have a "green" roof of sedum, a shrub which is usually seen in rock gardens and easily absorbs water, preventing surface run-off.

Unlike its predecessor, the new building will be heated, using a ground-source heat pump and solar water heating.

City Cabinet member Cllr Michael Leaves, marking the start of demolition yesterday, said: "People living around here told us that one of the most important priorities for the revived park was somewhere they could change, meet up with others, and toilets they can use.

"The current pavilion was built in the 1930s and is draughty and well past its sell-by date."

The design was drawn up by Atkins, an engineering and design consultancy, after meetings with the Friends of Devonport Park as well as community groups in Stoke, Morice Town and Devonport including the bowlers and Junior Football League.

The work is being carried out by contractors J and E Regan and is expected to last six months. The entrance path that runs alongside the bowling green will be closed while the work is being carried out.

Will Blagdon, vice-chair of the Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership board, said: "We see this project as another part of the jigsaw in making Devonport a better place to work and live. The park is looking better and better and more people are enjoying it."

Colin Shenton, a regular dog-walker in the park, welcomed the changes.

"A cafe will be a good addition", he said, "and we need a toilet – there are no toilet facilities at all around here.

"It's a lovely park, the best in Plymouth, and well used – I come here every day."

However, he criticised the new children's play area, which he said was not toddler-friendly.

The pavilion project is part of a £5.3million scheme put together by the city council, the Friends of Devonport Park and Devonport Regeneration Community Partnership.

The project was awarded £3,294,000 from the Heritage Lottery/BIG funding and improvements that have already taken place include an adventure play area intended for all ages and the restoration of the Lower Lodge.

Work still to do includes new footpaths and installing lighting.

A feasibility study is being carried out into building a new bandstand for the park.

The council says it hopes to advertise for a park-keeper in the new year and aims to have someone in place by Easter.

"We have also seen the number of people using the park go up by a third in two years," a council spokeswoman said yesterday.