Ashmore Park Future?

Could Ashmore Park become a City Park of local and regional repute?

Councillor Phil Bateman said " The Government has been seen to want all our nations best Parks returned to their past glory, and a good deal of Government money has seen some spectacular conversions. Take a look at the West Park here in Wolverhampton. It is superb now complete with refurbished Victorian Tea Rooms restored. Its a magnificent Park and one that City residents can be proud of!

Now our own Ashmore Park is not in the same league as the West Park...but it could be in a wholly different way and class if it could harness its emerging strengths in a positive sporting sense?

Well this is the grand vision that Wednesfield Labour Party is starting to flesh out for the future success of Ashmore Park.

Councillor Phil Bateman says " Desk top research by the Wolverhampton Sports Advisory Council has shown that there is a lack of high quality, affordable sporting opportunities within the Wednesfield Area of the City.

Here in Wednesfield North Councillor Dave Jones and I have been mulling over the best way that we can develop sporting opportunity, taking advantage of the resources that we already have. We believe...and we have begun to receive support from Wednesfield North Labour Party.

That we have a plan that may just provide sporting excellence and opportunity for individuals, as well as making the best of all the current resources that serve our community currently.

We explained our proposals last night to Members of the Local Party and received strong support.

Councillor Dave Jones proposal is that we campaign for the immediate demolition of the 'eye-sore' Pavilion that is currently blighting the Ashmore Park. That we replace the building with a new purpose built structure that would allow football, and other sportsmen to change and use the facility, not just at week-ends but through the week.

Its design should one where it encourages people to visit and attend, it should become the heart of the Park and of course be staffed. We believe that the Pavilion could be linked with the activities that take place in the Sports Barn, and the Youth Club. We feel that such a centre would not only provide changing facilities but also provide meeting room/s etc. This part of our proposal was raised by both Councillor Jones and myself at the July Meeting of the Ashmore Park Police Liaison Committee, and it received very strong support from those present.

Councillor Jones and I also believe that we should develop the Ashmore Park as a 'Wheeled Park of Excellence'.

Drawing on the facilities that are currently in situation like Wednesfield Aces Cycle Speedway, the BMX Track and the Skate Board Park.

We believe that these are huge resources that are the bedrock for the Ashmore Park development. Wednesfield Aces are one of the premier clubs in their sport in Europe. They have just run the most successful of European Championships from their track, and they are an organisation that is keen to see their community based sport develop further. Also they have a management committee that is respected and known not only within their sport at the highest levels, but here locally.

The BMX track is a facility that is less well organised but nevertheless provides opportunity for development. I am convinced that with the right sort of promotion this facility could and would enhance the sporting achievement of local individuals, and clubs. BMX has a regular Saturday slot on national TV, it is a sport that is often described as 'extreme'. But there are few facilities for the followers in this region. Ashmore Park can build upon this track and really focus on providing for its followers.

Finally the Skate Park is very new and is proving to be very successful, but it is a huge resource that can be developed further.

The great part of all this is the fact that the Park is surrounded at one end by a very healthy shopping parade. All of these sports could make a real and lasting contribution to the local economy by delivering customers to the shops. Ashmore Park is very well sited to deliver huge complimentary benefits to the community it serves.

During the recent Wednesfield Aces European Championships Councillor Jones and I informally spoke with lead members of the Wednesfield Aces.

Explaining our thoughts we felt it was possible to 'bring together' these sports as a catalyst to bring impetus to the Park. Councillor Jones and I also spoke with a senior Official of the City about the potential of a new Pavilion and the ideas that we were pulling together concerning Ashmore Park Wheeled Excellence Centre.

I took the chance of raising some of these points with British Cycling West Midlands Regional Manager who was at the Cycle Speedway European Championships. I was encouraged by their response

I am convinced that the project outlined with other links to the local schools and the health community would be seen to be interesting and innovative. Schools surround the Park on two sides in close proximity is the Health Centre and Nursery. Programmes I am sure could be devised that would take account of the facilities that sirround Ashmore Park.

Partnership on this level including Education,Sport, Youth & Community, and Health could provide a very useful vehicle for development."

If you have a comment about these proposals, perhaps you would be good enough to email them on email@philbateman.com

Or write to Councillor Phil Bateman Wolverhampton City Council Civic Centre St Peters Gardens Wolverhampton WV1 1RP

The Photographs show Councillor Dave Jones and Phil Bateman and the newly opened Skate Park on Ashmore Park opened by Councillor Bateman this year when he was Mayor of the City of Wolverhampton.