Work to Improve Sports Facilities at Palmer Park

Palmer Park 3G Pitch

WORK to improve sports facilities at Reading’s second largest park, begins in September.

From Wednesday 5th September work will start on the refurbishment of the three artificial turf pitches at Palmer Park in east Reading. The pitches in the popular park originally opened over ten years ago and have now reached the end of their life. As well as a new surface, new permanent internal fencing is being installed to replace the acoustic boards and netting which separates the pitches. The park will benefit from an £112,000 investment, including a new sweeper machine used for maintaining the pitches. The work will necessitate the closure of the pitches, but users have the option to use the wider park for football or the artificial pitches at Prospect Park while the work is being carried out. Notices will be displayed on site in advance, and also for the duration of the work, which is anticipated to take 3 weeks. The work is part of a major £786k investment across Reading’s Parks, approved Council’s Housing, Neighbourhoods and Leisure Committee in March 2018, starting this year and running to 2020, on recreational areas across the borough. The majority of these schemes will be funded from contributions from developers secured via Section 106 agreements.

Cllr Graeme Hoskin, Reading’s Lead Member for Sport, said:

“The work at Palmer Park is part of a larger investment across Reading’s parks, running from now until 2020. I’m delighted we are in a position to deliver such an extensive plan of improvements across Reading’s green spaces, with some great work recently completed at Prospect and Cintra parks. Where we live, and the quality of our immediate environment has a huge impact on our quality of life and wellbeing. This level of investment shows we are committed to keeping the town clean, safe, green and active.”

Cllr Sarah Hacker, Reading’s Lead Member for Culture, Heritage and Recreation, said:

“The improvements to Palmer Park’s pitches will provide a great boost to the outdoor facilities available for local people. We want residents of all ages to benefit from using our sports facilities, and I hope this will encourage many more to do so.”

Ends

Notes

The full report on investments in Reading’s Parks can be viewed here: www.reading.gov.uk/article/10617/Housing-Neighbourhoods-and-Leisure-Committee-14-MAR-2018