Gateway to a new future for park
Plans to rejuvenate a 100-year-old park sprang into motion when new gates and a junior football pitch were unveiled this week.
Illingworth Park, just off Manor Road, had fallen into a state of serious disrepair after years of vandalism and neglect.
But a Friends group, founded eight months ago, made it an immediate priority to bring it back to life.
New wrought iron gates, costing 2,800 of Community Chest funding, and a half-size junior football pitch, making use of goalposts donated by Wakefield Council, are the first two major improvements .
Alan Pearson, secretary of the Friends group, said it was just the beginning of plans to create a full children's play area in the park.
He said: "At the moment people just think of it as a football field, but we want to give the place a real identity.
"We want it to be somewhere everyone can enjoy."
Mr Pearson said the group is hoping to secure 500 funding from the Police Trust for an enclosed basketball court, but will need to raise a further 2,000.
It is also looking at creating a wildlife garden in the future.
Mr Pearson said: "The basketball court is something the kids really want and have asked for before.
"And we don't just want to focus on young people. There's a lot of elderly people in Ossett and they should be able to enjoy the park too."
Coun Alyson Ripley, who helped to launch the campaign to improve the park, said the latest work will make a big impact.
She said: "I'm really pleased with what we have managed to achieve with relatively little funding. Hopefully the children will appreciate that we have done something on their behalf and they will look after it.
"Parks are so important for children as they stretch their imagination and creativity and give them some physical exercise too."
Illingworth Park has been the home of Ossett Common Rovers AFC since the club formed in 1900.
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Weather for Wakefield
Sunday 05 February 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 3 C to 6 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: West
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