A £265,000 refurbishment of Penwortham’s Vernon Carus Sports Club has begun, with work set for completion in time for the April cricket season.
South Ribble Borough Council investment will fund improvements to the clubhouse, changing rooms and scoreboard.
The upgraded facility will be the focal point of the sports and community hub, made possible after cabinet members approved a transfer of more than 18 acres of land into council ownership last September.
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Cllr Mick Titherington, Deputy Leader of South Ribble Borough Council, said: “This is yet another example of our commitment to providing the best sporting facilities for our residents – encouraging more and more people to leisure local.
“The long-term potential for Vernon Carus Sports Club and the surrounding area is absolutely enormous, and our first step is to give the existing sports club the investment it deserves.
“We’re pleased we’ve been able to begin work on the site so quickly so that everything can be in place for the start of the new cricket season and the busy summer months.”
The council decided on the initial works following meetings with club representatives. The work will include roof repairs and energy efficiency measures like double glazing.
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Once complete, the improved clubhouse will boost the cricket, football, boxing and bowling sections.
Don Parker, chairman of Vernon Carus Sports Club, said: “With this support from South Ribble Borough Council, we are hoping the club can go from strength to strength.
“We want to make this a hub for the local community, with football, boxing, bowls and cricket side-by-side and the possibility of expanding into more sports in the future.
“Improving the clubhouse is an exciting first step and means we will be able to host more functions, raising more money to be invested back into sports.”
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Parker hopes residents from every section of the community will get involved and looks forward to welcoming people of all ages from different backgrounds.
The Vernon Carus site, comprising some 11.42 acres of land north of Factory Lane, is in the process of being transferred to council ownership from Lane End Developments Construction Ltd – along with a further 5.76 acres at Penwortham Reservoir.
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