Guests have a ball at official opening of Pavilion in Park
ASHBOURNE’S million-pound pavilion has seen its official opening ceremony – with a special gift from the German Embassy being unveiled at the event.
The Pavilion in the Park project was the result of a huge community effort, which saw hundreds of thousands of pounds of outside funding being brought in to make a facility the entire town could benefit from.
Since its doors have been open the building has become such a huge success that the Ashbourne Sports and Community Partnership is already talking about extending it
– but the theme at Friday’s official launch party was as much on the history of the town’s sporting focal point as it was about its future.
Because a special
commemorative football shirt, signed by all the members of the German national team, was unveiled after it was presented to the pavilion committee by Michael
Hagenburger of the
German Embassy and the German football association.
The gift officially marked the relationship that began between
Germany and Ashbourne when the West German squad came to the town to practice on the recreation ground ahead of their victorious World Cup campaign.
Derbyshire Dales MP Sarah Dines was invited to cut the ribbon at the pavilion during Friday’s ceremony, and speeches were given by partnership members, councillors, and by Phil Chell, who was a teenager when the Germans came to Ashbourne. He recounted stories of the time he got to meet the international stars.
It is hoped the presentation of the commemorative shirt will be a springboard for an ongoing friendship link between Ashbourne and Germany, and the Ashbourne Aztecs youth squads could be among the first to become involved in the initiative.