Following the public consultation days held in 2012 improvement works to the Recreation Ground are continuing. Below you will find an update on the areas we have been investigating and improving.
Following public consultation and refurbishment, the community café at The Recreation Ground opened to the public on Monday 2nd May 2016.
Operated by GO4 Enterprises CIC this cafe is ideally situated in the old tennis pavilion between the playground and the community garden on the Recreation Road side of the Rec.
The facilities available include indoor and outdoor seating, toilets available for the public and an outdoor serving hatch. The café also provides people with a place to rest, buy snacks and drinks, and encourages people to stay longer at the Recreation Ground.
In order to keep residents up to date and involved, a notice board is located within the outdoor seating area with details of opening times, events and volunteering opportunities.
Anyone interested in volunteering at the cafe can make enquires by contacting: volunteers@go4enterprises.org
Colchester Borough Council has completed the installation of the new gates that celebrate the heritage of the area.
Funding from The Heritage Lottery Fund was received in 2015 to work with an artist and local residents to design and create new gates for the Recreation Ground that celebrate the history and significance of the area.
Tim Ward of Circling the Square has spent the last six months running workshops and speaking with local people. His designs for the mandala laser cut gates were revealed in December and are now in place at the Recreation Road, Port Lane, Old Heath Road and Wimpole Road entrances. Each entrance celebrates a different aspect of local culture or history: the concept of New Town; the military connection; sport, leisure and retirement and the Co-Op and Paxman's.
Contact the artist: You can contact Tim directly at circlingthesquare@btinternet.com
Funding for the project was awarded by the Heritage Lottery Fund following a public consultation by Colchester Borough Council that found people living in the area wished for more events and activities around Old Heath.
The jogging route waymarker discs have been received and will depict 1km and 100m routes within the Recreation Ground.
The Recreation Ground car park is a pay and display car park - view opening hours and charges.
For further information about Old Heath Recreation Ground please email parks@colchester.gov.uk