Work has finally started on the Olympic-standard sports complex at Carver Barracks in Wimbish. It is hoped it will be ready for use in the late autumn.
Work has finally started on an Olympic-standard sports complex at Carver Barracks in Wimbish, which will be available to schools across the district, over 38 sports clubs and the wider community.
It is now hoped the £1.25 million facility will be ready for use in the late autumn.
The complex will have facilities including an Olympic-standard eight-lane running track, a football pitch, water jump, javelin, hammer, shot put, long jump, high jump, pole vault and triple jump.
Facilities will include changing rooms and showers.
There will be a sports club run by Mo Park, a fully qualified UKA (United Kingdon Athletics) athletics coach, offering the potential of future Olympic hopeful coming from the area.
Work began this week. One of the first actions was to replace the old rugby goal posts on the rugby pitch.
The first turf was cut in May last year by former Wimbish councillor Tina Knight.
This was after four years of delay caused by planning matters, funding issues and doubt over the future of the barracks.
Just when the project was ready to go ahead, the project was put back again by the Covid-19 crisis.
Tina, now a civilian liaison officer for the barracks, said: “After many months of laborious ground work, dealing with drainage, pipes and, as always, the inevitable hiccups when dealing with earthworks, things are now moving forward.”
She added: “We were well on target with the project, however, due to the unexpected problems with lockdown, we reluctantly had to put a stop to the work.
“We are delighted that we are in now in a position to re-start work and we hope to make up some of the time lost.”
The facility was originally to save the military having to go to Colchester for sports practice.
It was then extended for community use and has been funded with grants including £500,000 from Uttlesford District Council.
The contract between the Ministry of Defence and Uttlesford District Council (UDC) to allow the project to begin was signed on May 1 last year after protracted negotiations.
Doubt over the Ministry of Defence’s commitment to Carver Barracks had stalled the project before an announcement in 2018 confirming that the army would remain at the site until at least 2032.
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