Save Kenilworth’s pavilion!
The fight is on to save Kenilworth’s pavilion being pulled down exactly 100 years after the bowling green was opened in Abbey Fields.
The wooden building on the green has stood unused for around a decade and is now facing demolition in the district council’s £120,000 play area revamp.
The Bowling Green was created in April 1913, and the pavilion put up by the town council around a decade later.
But after being branded as a draw for anti social behaviour, drink and even drug use by councillors and police, the building will be torn down to ensure child safety.
Patricia Cain, chair of the Kenilworth Society, is heading the call to save the structure after hitting out at the lack of consultation over the plans.
“This is an important piece of park architecture and the council should not be able to decide that it will go without asking anyone,” she said.
“There are a lot of ways we can improve safety and keep it standing to be used by parents watching their children play.
“We cannot keep pandering to vandals or we will have nothing . This is our heritage.”
Cllr Richard Davies (Con, St John’s) has joined the lobby to mark the anniversary with renovation over destruction.
“The fact this is the 100 years on only makes more reason to celebrate it,” he said.
“It is a completely irrational reaction to knock something down because of antisocial behaviour instead of tackling the actual problem.
“There are more broken bottles and splif ends around the swimming pool than here but we haven’t had that pulled down. It is just madness.”
Warwick District Council has put £100,000 to the brand new play area which will see the green transformed into an enclosed toddler space.
Friends of Abbey Fields put in almost £4,000 for the project but have no group line on the future for the pavilion.
Cllr Dave Shilton (Con, Parkhill) portfolio holder behind the project, said until a bat survey is complete the hut would not be touched, but unless a reasonable safety alternative is found, it will come down as planned next month.
“We have been advised by police that this should be removed and that is the advice we have to follow,” he said.
“The one thing we don’t want is the new play area to be a draw for the few mindless people who are urinating and partying and goodness knows what else around there.
“We will look into options to retain it if we can do so without affecting the play area, but the preferred option is to have it removed.”
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Weather for Kenilworth
Wednesday 19 June 2013
Today
Light rain
Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 12 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: North east
