QEII New Recreation Ground Pavilion upgrade In previous magazines we have highlighted the problems of the Pavilion in the New Recreation ground, which is long over due for an upgrade. It is far from a showpiece for the village and does not encourage other groups to use it. To improve the site the Parish Council has been looking at ways of adapting the building to make it more inclusive and secure. A concept design put together in 2012, addressed many of the problems, both inside and outside of the building, and the proposed improvements will make the building more inclusive, with disabled facilities very high on the agenda. In addition improving the toilets and general appeal of the inside of the building is equally important. As those who have used the building over the years will agree, at the moment it has a dark and unpleasant atmosphere.
Making the building secure The security measures at the front of the building shown in the illustration below will be the most visible sign of change to the Pavilion. This handcrafted metalwork will not only provide security, but give it an attractive appeal. A steel balustrade will be fixed between each of the brick columns and topped with a wooden handrail. These static panels will contain large steel hand-drawn sporting silhouettes, which will adorn the front of the balustrade. Above this will be a retractable steel shuttering system fixed to the top of the timber roof rail and hinged, allowing them to be folded back to the brick columns when the building is in use, providing an unobstructed view. The floor in the porch area will to be raised to the level of the doorsills of the building. At both ends of the pavilion, a wide disabled-friendly curved path will slope upwards from the main path to new wide steel security entrance gates, for wheelchair accessibility. The design of the gates will reflect the frontage, but the security grilles will be static. Once the security measures are in place, the porch area of the building will be renovated to make it a more attractive attribute to the village. The shuttered windows will be replaced with bright French doors, allowing more light into the building. The doors will also allow easy access into the building for wheelchair users and disabled motorised vehicles. The entrance doors to the changing rooms either side of the windows will be replaced with modern bright fittings – also disabled friendly. The two additional doors on the protruding wall will be removed and blocked up. These design changes will not only enhance the building, but also provide a secure frontage, preventing the level of damage experienced to date.
Inside the building A significant change to the inside of the building will be the new disabled facilities and baby changing area. The two main toilet areas will also be improved. With the exception of the kitchen, the ladies and gents toilets, all internal doors will be replaced with disabled doors. At the rear of the building the exit door will also be replaced with a disabled access door. The small window to the left and the wall below it will be removed and this area filled with highly toughened glass blocks. With this glass wall together with the new French doors, the building will become a light and amenable space. The carpets in the main meeting area and entrances to both changing areas will be replaced with non-slip easy-clean flooring. The inside of the building will be redecorated throughout. The area at the rear of the building will be re-fenced and the ground levelled and completely paved.
Funding Following the presentation to the Parish Council of the Pavilion concept design, it was agreed to fund the much-needed upgrade by allocating £53,000 of community funds to the project. This will include the internal structural work and the security measures at the front, plus the area at the back of the building. However, the Pavilion is in a unique position with funders today. Following on from the 2012 Olympics it is hoped
melbournmagazine
17
