Forum topic: Further funding for Broomfield Park netball courts refurbishment
Further funding for Broomfield Park netball courts refurbishment
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21 Oct 2019 00:25 4846
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The news item below was posted on the Enfield Council website on 7th October.
Top quality netball courts in London will be based in Enfield’s Broomfield Park following a cash injection from Sport England.
Sport England will be offering Enfield Council £100,000 from its Community Asset Fund to go towards the extensive improvements needed for the courts that currently see over 80 teams and more than 1,000 players chest pass, pivot and shoot every year.
The nine courts set to be renovated are dual-purpose, used for both netball and tennis and are crucial to the continuation of the North London Netball League (NLNL) which has been based at Broomfield Park since 1950. There is no other north London netball facility of this size and popularity.
The courts have already received a £150,000 grant from the London Marathon Charitable Trust. The additional £100,000 from Sport England will be dependent on the grant terms and conditions and planning approval. Enfield Council will also be working with Historic England and other parties to ensure the improvements are sympathetic to the historic landscape of Broomfield Park.
Enfield Council’s Cabinet Member for Environment & Sustainability, Cllr Guney Dogan said: “The importance of this funding cannot be understated. The NLNL does a fantastic job of promoting and developing talent and providing opportunities for players from all kinds of backgrounds. However they need the appropriate facilities to continue with their work so that netball in Enfield and North London can continue to succeed at a competitive level.
“In addition by undertaking these works we will be able to encourage visitors from a wide area, which will support local businesses as well as the park itself.”
It is hoped participation in netball will increase by a fifth within two years of the new facilities being completed. Work on the site will start in late spring next year, with an aim to finish ahead of the League’s 70th anniversary season in September 2020.
Maria Mitchell from the North London Netball League, said: “We’re delighted that both Sport England and the London Marathon Charitable Trust have awarded grant funding to enable the redevelopment of the netball courts in Broomfield Park. We look forward to working with Enfield Council to see the renovations completed.
“As the North London Netball League approaches its 70th anniversary, it’s great to know our teams will be able to play their sport for many years to come on decent and safe courts in Palmers Green. Netball is growing in popularity and on match day in Broomfield Park it really is fantastic to see so many girls and women playing the sport they love. Hopefully the improved facilities will allow us to bring all the physical and mental health benefits of playing a team sport to even more women in North London.”
Enfield Council's Cabinet Member for Public Health, Cllr Mahtab Uddin, added: “We are keen to promote both netball and tennis as fully inclusive activities that can help improve people’s health and wellbeing in a positive and encouraging atmosphere. As well as supporting the NLNL, we hope to start a new walking netball programme for those who perhaps are new to the sport or are not as active. In addition, our Back to Netball programme will re-introduce the sport to those who have not played for some time.”
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Further funding for Broomfield Park netball courts refurbishment
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23 Oct 2019 00:14 4847
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The North London Netball League Committee have worked hard with the council over the last few years to ensure a full refurbishment of the Broomfield Park netball courts takes place. This will guarantee that the North London Netball League survives and continues to provided regular netball for over 800 players.
The structural report carried out in 2017 indicated that the courts could not simply be resurfaced but required excavating to provide new foundations, drainage and a new playing surface. Over the last 12 months they have assisted the council with grant applications to London Marathon Charitable Trust (LMCT) and Sport England and the council have been successful in securing £150,000 grant from LMCT and a further £100,000 from Sport England. The Council have confirmed that they will cover the additional costs to ensure the full refurbishment is completed.
The Sport England grant monies are conditional on the refurbishment incorporating floodlights for the courts. Discussions are taking place with heritage officials and Historic England to ensure any scheme is sympathetic to the historic landscape of the park and the surrounding area. The aim is to make a planning application for the flood lighting scheme later this year with the target of work commencing in May 2020, to be completed for the start of the netball season in September 2020.
The council have appointed representatives from their engineering department to prepare detailed costings, a programme for the works and a full specification.
The court refurbishment works are critical if netball is to continue being played in Broomfield Park. The North London Netball League will be celebrating their 70th anniversary in the 2020/21 season and it would be very fitting for the season to start on newly refurbished courts.
They are hoping that the local community, organisations and businesses will recognize the importance of netball continuing in Broomfield Park for many more years to come.
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