The reputation of Plymouth’s Central Park as the hub of sporting activity in the city has been underlined by a £473,500 regeneration scheme. This was undertaken as part of Sport England’s Playing Fields and Community Green Spaces programme.

The Park has always been regarded as Plymouth’s major recreational resource, but a Sport England lottery grant of £351,000 and £122,500 partnership funding from the City Council provided the cash to help meet the growing demand for less traditional sports.

Now the Park, which benefits from an ideal central location, boasts a new all-weather baseball or softball diamond and an outdoor arena for skateboarders, BMX fans and in-line skaters. It also has a kick-about area which includes basketball hoops.

The funding has also allowed drainage and improvement works to upgrade seven of its dozen sports pitches and the pitch and putt course to provide better quality facilities for use throughout the whole year.

Plymouth City Council believes the Park plays a vital role for both local communities and the city as a whole. It is fully committed to the long-term management and maintenance of the new facilities.

The Council’s view is shared by Sport England. “You have got all these facilities on a central site where people can go and try lots of different sports,” said Alun Lowe. “It was the innovative nature of the project which stood out for me.”

James Coulton of Plymouth City Council said their vision of Central Park was of a major destination for sporting activity for the city and the whole region.

“It is very easily accessible from everywhere,” he added. “It is in an ideal location which people gravitate towards and we can use that to our advantage. We can use these facilities as a way of preventing crime, keeping people off the streets and promoting fitness and health. It is important to the city for a whole range of reasons.”

Central Park factfile

• The Park is home to Plymouth Argyle Football Club, the Mayflower Centre and a swimming pool
• It has a special outdoor area set aside for break dancing
• Plymouth City Council carried out a big consultation exercise among city residents before embarking on the project
• A shelter has been provided near the kickabout area for youngsters who just want to meet for a chat.
• The Football Association’s Learning FC football programme which looks at classroom activities like maths from a football angle has been a big success.