Howzat! New cricket pitches for Sandwell’s parks
With The Ashes in full swing, people in Sandwell can
enjoy playing cricket in their local community thanks to several cricket pitches that have been refreshed and, in some cases, newly created.
This follows Sandwell Council securing more than £130,000 towards investment in cricket pitches across Sandwell’s six towns, which has been kindly funded by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and their partnership with KP Snacks as Official Team Partner of The Hundred. Staffordshire Cricket is also supporting the project, working with local clubs to encourage participation in cricket. It is hoped this network of pitches will encourage everyone – especially children and young people – to come along to their local pitch and give cricket a go! Where people can find the cricket pitches:
Refurbished pitches:
Bearmore Playing Fields, Cradley Heath
Jubilee Park, Tipton
Victoria Park, Smethwick (due to be completed shortly)
Replaced pitches:
Hydes Road, Wednesbury
Red House Park, Great Barr
Tividale Park, Oldbury
Victoria Park, Tipton
West Smethwick Park, Smethwick
New pitches: Barnford Park, Oldbury
Britannia Park, Rowley Regis
Hill Top Park, West Bromwich
Lightwoods Park, Bearwood
Councillor Charn Singh Padda, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Culture and Tourism, said: “I would like thank the ECB, in association with Staffordshire Cricket, for supporting this project. We would invite people to come along and enjoy playing some cricket at these pitches in our wonderful parks. “With The Ashes in full swing and England right back in it after their win against Australia at Headingley, now is a great time to give cricket a go, even if you’ve never tried it before.”
Councillor Syeda Khatun, Sandwell Council’s Cabinet Member for Public Health and Communities, said: “With these quality cricket pitches across Sandwell, we’re encouraging everyone to get involved – whatever your age, men, women, boys, girls – come along, keep active and keep healthy.” Jason Britton, Development Director at Staffordshire Cricket, said: “The investment into the pitches will provide more opportunities for anyone who wants to pick up a bat and ball in the area. Alongside Staffordshire Cricket’s work with the ECB Core Cities Programme focusing specifically on Sandwell, we hope to see more people saying cricket is a game for me.” And this not all that has been happening in Sandwell’s parks and green spaces.
Over the past year, Sandwell Council has invested more than £4million in parks, play areas, outdoor sports facilities and nature reserves, supported by a mix of council and external funding.
This included: refurbishments and improvements to 41 play areas repairs and improvements to seven BMX and skate parks repairs and improvements to all outdoor gym equipment, work included the installation of new play equipment, resurfacing of play areas, equipment repairs and landscaping. Improvements were also made to parks, green spaces and nature reserves.
Other developments have included: the new Sandwell Urban Bike Track in partnership with Sport England and Birmingham City Council securing £86,000 of Government Levelling Up funding for improvements to Black Patch Park, Smethwick a new pavilion at West Smethwick Park in partnership with National Lottery Heritage Fund – come along to the pavilion’s first birthday community fun day on Bank Holiday Monday 28 August from 12noon-6pm.
These improvements are just part of Sandwell’s plan and strategy to improve its green spaces.