Cricket hub unveiled to the community
Cricketers have been bowled over after a new sports hub was unveiled.
Wolverhampton Council worked with the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) to create the sports facility at Dunstall Road's Peace Green.
The new spot, which was opened during last weekend's family fun day, now boasts three all-weather cricket training nets, as well as netball and basketball facilities.
Councillor Jasbir Jaspal, the council's cabinet member for public health and wellbeing, said: "We are delighted to have worked with the England and Wales Cricket Board to deliver these facilities which have further increased opportunities for people in Whitmore Reans to get active.
"They have not only provided sporting facilities to help improve people's physical health and wellbeing, but also transformed a previously obscured area of Peace Green which had been the focus of anti-social behaviour, complementing the well-maintained open space which offers an outdoor gym, children's play area and walking routes."
Residents had a chance to try out the new sports facilities, with cricket lanes officially opened on Sunday.
The event also featured penalty shoot out competitions with Wolves, WV Active class demonstrations and food stalls .
The £150,000 scheme was jointly funded by the council’s sport development and investment strategy, Staffordshire Cricket and the ECB, with the new facilities managed by community groups in the area.
Staffordshire Cricket and the ECB’s support was part of a broader investment into cricket across Wolverhampton’s public spaces.
Jason Britton, development director for Staffordshire Cricket, said: "We’ve worked closely with Wolverhampton Council to ensure investment into providing places where people can play informal cricket was spent wisely; the sites at Peace Green and across the city show that we as a sport are committed to growing the game as much in inner city areas as in the traditional cricket club network.
"We’re hoping that the recent hosting of the World Cup and the fantastic spectacle that was the final will inspire a generation of young people to pick up a bat and ball and make cricket a game for them – and what better place to give it a go than at Peace Green.”
