A dog agility area, cycle skills park and public toilets are all part of exciting new plans for an Isle of Wight recreation ground.
Totland Parish Council is investing in the Recreation Ground next to the Totland Bay Bowling Club, on Bowling Green Lane.
It is looking to maintain the existing facilities while adding new ones for residents and visitors.
Overall, the recreation ground will have:
- A football pitch – marked out with permanent goalposts
- Dog agility area
- Modern and classic children’s play equipment with a zipline, swings and slides
- Outdoor gym with a selection of machines for all ages and abilities
- Cycle skills park to provide a safe and non-intimidating introduction to cycling with different tracks as people gain confidence and skills. They include a toddle track, pump track, beginner and intermediate jump tracks.
- New public toilets
Allowed to fall into a state of disrepair
Toilets at the ground, owned by the Isle of Wight council, were closed in 2005 and “allowed to fall into a state of disrepair”, the parish council said.
They were demolished in 2008 and in the following year, now retired Freshwater councillor John Howe launched a petition calling on the Isle of Wight council to rebuild them.
Permission to build
Now, 15 years later, Totland Parish Council is picking up the mantle and has permission to build new and inclusive toilets on the footprint of the old ones.
The new block would have a unisex toilet with baby changing facilities, an advanced disabled toilet as part of the Changing Places scheme and community space.
Outdoor gym
The park already has an outdoor gym and play area and welcomes various groups to the rec.
The parish council says it has and will continue to invest in the recreation ground and its amenities.
Solar panels will be put on the roof.
Colwell Bay toilets
Totland Parish Council has also taken on the maintenance of the public toilets at Colwell Bay which are now closed and will be undergoing refurbishment ahead of the summer season.
To fund the works, the parish council has taken out a loan from the Public Works Loan Board.
A new 20p charge would also be introduced at its public toilets as a way of bringing in income to repay the loan over the next ten years.
This article is from the BBC’s LDRS (Local Democracy Reporter Service) scheme, which News OnTheWight is taking part in. Some alterations and additions may have been made by OnTheWight. Ed
