Shame on you

ANGRY COMMUNITY leaders have condemned vandals who wrecked a set of rugby posts at a recreational facility which reopened just two months ago.

More than £500,000 has been spent at Churchill playing fields – Saddleworth’sbiggest arena – to improve the grounds and tackle long term flooding problems.

But after the attack at the Greenfield grounds Councillor Barbara Beeley, chair of the Saddleworth and Lees District Executive who donated £60,000 to the renovation project, said angrily: “I am disgusted at the damage.

“We have worked hard to provide one of the best sports fields in the borough for Saddleworth but some obviously do not appreciate it.

“This now means that between £500 and a £1,000, which could have been used elsewhere on other facilities, has to be spent repairing the damage.”

And she warned: “The matter is in the hands of police and if we identify the culprits we shall prosecute.”

Saddleworth Rangers have ten rugby teams of youngsters aged from eight to 18 years old using the fields as well as their open age teams.

Secretary Peter Townsend said: “It’s disappointing that a few people give hours and hours of their time to see their efforts ruined.

“If these vandals gave their time helping sport instead of doing this they would find it most rewarding. It’s very frustrating and disappointing.”

One local said: “This is dreadful. Churchill has been subject to attacks over the years, which is very disappointing in a community which takes such pride celebrating sport.”

A spokesman for Greenfield and Grasscroft Residents Association said: “It beggars belief such a mindless act of vandalism could be committed – what’s the point of such action?”

And a spokesman for the Environmental Services team, who worked removing the damaged posts, said: “There has been so much positive work here and it’s upsetting to see it damaged this way.”

The playing fields have been handed over to Oldham Council for on-going maintenance, with work scheduled until September 2014 throughout the defects liability period.

But some worried locals have questioned the amount already spent on developing the sports facilities as recent bad weather has left the grounds waterlogged.

The fields were out of use for 18 months while drainage improvements were carried out and it reopened in October with relayed pitches, a sprint track and refurbished changing rooms.

But Doctor Andrew Lane, a dentist who lives near the fields, said: “The only gain in exchange for the loss of the running track, a rugby pitch and quite a few trees is the addition a couple of small football pitches and some signs informing you of the distance around the perimeter ‘footpath’, which remains waterlogged much of the time.

“It’s a disgrace, especially given the cost and lack of facilities for eighteen months.”

And Roger Devy, from Dobcross, added: “In less than two weeks after the official opening, large areas of standing water had gathered on the hard standing to the southern end of the site designated in part for a 100 metres sprint track, clearly showing this area is prone to flooding.

“It was stated that the overall priority for Churchill Playing Fields was to encourage youth engagement and youth development in sport. This is the very least the Saddleworth community should expect after the extensive work and development of the Churchill site.

“However, it seems the area designated for the 100 metres sprint track currently falls well below these standards.”

Cllr Beeley admitted further work needs to be done at the site and said improvements and continuing tweaks will be made over the coming months.

She said: “The pitches are still in the establishment phase and will take some time yet before the root system sufficiently binds the fines in the soil structure together to prevent the silt from lifting to the surface and therefore causing it to cap and prevent the movement of water.

“Some areas have still got a little too much compaction and with Saddleworth notorious weather it has resulted in small areas of ponding.

“These will be rectified in the coming weeks with a process called ‘Earth Quaking’. This operation fragments the ground immediately below the surface allowing water to quickly disappear into the newly installed drains and should alleviate any major problems.

“The fields are cut and the pitches marked out on a regular basis and during the winter months it is necessary to maintain a slightly higher height of cut to protect the sward from winter damage.

“There is also further work to be done on the Oliset sprint track where again there is some surface water holding. The work to be done will again ensure the surface comes into contact with the drains which will alleviate this problem.

“We continue to monitor the situation and make the slight tweaks that will continue to be required.”