THE REGENERATION OF JUBILEE PLAYING FIELDS,
EVERSIDE LANE, CAM, GL11 5UL
Cam Parish Council has been working very hard since the first public consultation into the rejuvenation of the playing fields was launched in October 2019. We've now come up with a plan for the future of the fields which we think is exciting, innovative and ticks all the boxes!
The story so far...
ENTRANCE
Improvements to the entrance to the site to give better driving visibility and safer pedestrian access were completed in September 2020. This involved shaving back the bank and the hedge to create extra ground which was tarmacked and reflective bollards installed.
PERIMETER FOOTPATH
The well-used perimeter footpath has been diverted to take walkers away from the skatepark. A new, 160 metre long tarmac footpath runs past the skatepark and past the Multi-use Games Area (MUGA) before rejoining the original path. There is also a short footpath linking the new path to the MUGA. The new footpath is slightly elevated and drainage pipes have been fitted at intervals beneath it to avoid waterlogging and the puddling issues which we're too aware of at Jubilee Playing Field. This work was completed in July 2021. Reseeding the area around the path with a mixture of grass and wildflower seeds was completed in September 2021.
NEW CHILDREN'S PLAY AREAS
Plans for two, exciting new children's play areas were unveiled at Jubilee Playing Field on Saturday, 14 May. Cam Parish Council is investing £100,000 in the project, which will see the creation of a fenced play area for toddler aged children and an unfenced area with equipment for older, junior aged children.
The play designer, Proludic, was on the site along with Cam Parish councillors.
The play area for children aged up to 5-years-old will be installed next to the car park and the area for youngsters aged up to 12-years-old will be in the space before the skatepark. Dogs will be still be welcome at Jubilee Playing Field but they will not be allowed inside the fenced toddler area.
It's hoped work will start on the play areas in June 2022 ready for them to be opened before the school summer holidays start.
AREA BETWEEN THE CHILDREN'S PLAY AREAS AND THE SKATEPARK
We feel we've got a patch of land perfect for putting picnic benches surrounded by trees and a special wildflower mix that would enjoy the challenging drainage issues at Jubilee Playing Fields. The trees would help the environment, provide shade in summer for families enjoying picnics and also help suck up some of that excess water that we all experience at the playing fields.
IMPROVING THE CAR PARK
Generally the main car park at the playing fields is only open on football match days. This is because the car park isn't fenced and it's feared that vehicles could drive onto and across the playing fields. Therefore, it's planned to resurface and fence the car park and to then install a height restriction barrier. The car park could then be left open for all visitors to the playing field to use on a day-to-day basis.
DOGS AT JUBILEE PLAYING FIELDS
We love dogs! But they have caused one or two issues, namely dog poo and dogs off leads harassing other park users. Dogs will still be welcome at Jubilee Playing Fields but they will not be allowed inside the fenced children's play area. We will also request that dogs are kept on leads from the car park area to a point just after the fenced skatepark, but after that they can be let off their leads to enjoy exploring. Signs will be put up at the points where we ask that dogs are kept on or allowed off leads.
But please, dog owners, remember to keep your dogs under control and pick up after your them. Otherwise Cam Parish Council will be forced to reconsider dogs at Jubilee Playing Fields.
These are Cam Parish Council's plans for the first phase of the regeneration of Jubilee Playing Fields. We have future plans, including improving and opening the car park at the entrance to the playing fields, creating a footpath (perhaps a boardwalk) across the centre of the site and building a bigger, better skatepark. But that's all in future phases.
Let us know your thoughts on our plans for Jubilee Playing Field.
By email: info@camparishcouncil.gov.uk
By telephone: 01453 548884
In person: Cam Parish Council, 4 Noel Lee Way, Cam, GL11 5PS
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