A rundown park pavilion is to receive a major facelift.
(From an article in the KN, June 2022)
The building, in Silsden Park, has fallen into disrepair over the years.
There have been previous calls for action to restore the structure, which is nearly 90 years old.
The Park Pavilion – Silsden
Now the go-ahead has been given for a revamp, internally and externally.
It follows pressure for Silsden Town Council to utilise £223,533 in funding allocated to the town since 2019 under the Community Infrastructure Levy – or Section 106.
Earmarked solely for recreational improvements, the money has been provided by housebuilders to help offset the impact of development in the Keighley Road area of the town.
Gill Bennison, Bradford Council project officer for parks and green spaces, told Silsden Town Council that progress would need to be made or there was a risk a “significant” portion of the funding could be lost.
“The amount of funding may not be available again and therefore it is imperative that it’s put to best use,” she said.
She added that meetings regarding the park had also taken place with other stakeholders and interested groups, and that Bradford Council was supporting an initiative by Silsden Storm community rugby league club – sole user of the pavilion in recent years – to secure funding from the Rugby Football League for new changing facilities to be sited behind the current building.
If the club’s application is successful, Bradford Council would apply for match funding from the Sports Pitch Improvement Programme.
Ms Bennison said talks were also ongoing with the park-based bowling club about an upgrade to its facilities, and that there would be further community meetings to discuss a longer-term plan for park improvements.
Town councillors backed the pavilion restoration proposal, after hearing that an alternative scheme – for a new building – would cost considerably more and require extensive additional fundraising.
Whilst the town council is the park landowner, under historical arrangement maintenance is carried out by the local authority – which will be responsible for the restoration work. Town council chair Cllr Mags Croft suggested the formation of a support group, such as a pavilion Friends organisation, to boost community involvement in the project.
The pavilion is acclaimed as an important example of vernacular park architecture. The park was previously known as the playing fields and was opened in 1934 by the Princess Royal. Then it was the largest voluntary park scheme in the country.
COMMENT
If BMDC is/were supposed to be responsible for maintaining the park and its facilities, why has this building been allowed to get in such a poor state of repair?
