Warm and Covid-safe welcome to park’s new-look pavilion
MUCH-LOVED FACILITY RETURNS AFTER YEARS OF NEGLECT AND VANDALISM
A POPULAR Cleethorpes park pavilion has re-opened after years of neglect and vandalism.
A team of volunteers breathed new life into Haverstoe Park pavilion with a Covid-safe new cafe and toilets bringing much relief to families and visitors. Louise Deane, the pavilion’s managing director, said she was overwhelmed by the support she had from tradespeople who performed a DIY SOS-style makeover to bring the facilities back into use.
Many of the donors and businesses have had their names inscribed on a wall of thanks.
It has been the target of vandals for years and required redecoration, plumbing and electrical work.
“I never realised how important a park is in a community until I saw the number of people who have come back,” said Louise.
“During lockdown there is hardly anywhere else for people to go. So a park is vital for people’s well-being and for children’s mental health,” she added.
Louise said: “There have been people who could not visit the park because there were no loos open. But now they can visit at their leisure and enjoy the open space.”
Mum Sarah Impey told: “It is absolutely essential to have the facilities as people spend a lot of time in the park and the kids love it”
Fellow mum Kirsty Hunt said: “It is brilliant for the kids’ mental health. There has not been anywhere else that is as safe for people to enjoy themselves.”
The cafe serves a range of hot and cold refreshments and snacks and sweets. the director told how popular the Fair Trade Colombian coffees are. Thanks to the volunteers the area is Covid-safe with hand sanitisers. She has been helped over the first opening days by volunteers Ian Jones and Dianne Chambers.
She added: “We could do with someone to help us out with the accessible toilet as we want to adapt the main toilet area to include an accessible toilet if there is a builder or handyperson that could help. And we always need cash, £100 in goods, cash or services gets a name on our wall of thanks.” Louise said she will soon be contacting local schools with a competition to come up with a new name for the pavilion.
It is open from 9.30am to 3.30pm from Wednesday to Sunday.