Dawlish Discussion

The new Astroturf at Sandy lane is now finished but what a shame that the local kids are not going to be able to use this on a casual basis unless they can fund £21 per hour to use the facility!

Although this is great for local sports clubs, it had previously been an extremely well-used

facility for everyone, especially in the summer evenings when it was buzzing with local children and parents alike having a few rounds of tennis while others made use of the football. 

We have a youth centre at sandy lane that sits empty during the summer months and now it looks as though the Astro will be the same.

I’m sure the majority of kids who used the astro would have preferred it to have been old and used than new and empty.
 

Completely agree J3.  All these expensive facilities get built and then no-one uses them or can afford to use them.  I think a lot of parents thought we'd be getting more out of Red Rock than we do.  I'm not quite sure how they justify £21 per hour for the astroturf.

I'm happy to ask questions at Teignbridge, and will let you know what I find out.  It may take a few days though.

@michaelclayson

As an elected representative of Dawlish Town and therefore its council tax payers.

Instead of asking questions why not just tell them to drop the charge or return the old pitch and take their new one somewhere were the population can afford to use it. It was afterall grant funded and not paid for out of TDCs budget.

As with this, the Strand and other important projects You and your fellow councillors just sit on the fence and take whatever TDC throw at you. Its time local authorities remembered who the real owners of much of these facilities are, i.e the tax paying public .

Get on it before you run out of time or you certainly wont get re-elected

£21 an hour is reasonable compared to other astro turfs in the area. Heavitree astro costs £20 for 35 minutes unless you are a club and then is is £40 per hour.  They also used to do half  pitch hire at Dawlish so if they continue to do this then it is actually good value seeing as it is now the top facility of it's type in the area.

It may be the top facility of its type in the area but if it is only going to be used by the clubs then it will only be the select few who get the use of it.  Previously if the club wasn’t using the astro or the tennis courts then it was open for use by anyone at no cost so how can it be justified to charge such a fee now?

There are constant complaints that children don’t get enough exercise and we have a high rate of obesity in this country so how are taking away free facilities like these going to help?

It's not just clubs who use it. I know of two people who have used it this week and neither of them belong to a club. The old surface was not meant to be free but slack admin made it seem that way.  As a result a small minority abused this and goals and other equipment were frequently vandalised. In some areas the surface was actually torn up making the surface dangerous to use. 

By charging for the use they can ensure that the facility is used properly and it will keep it looking as good as it currently does.

for children whose families are hard pressed financially at this time, it should be free to use until 6pm

Free until 6pm is a good idea, would need to be supervised in some way so that you don't get 20 blokes turn up for a kickabout. 

Something like the multi use games area in this link would be good for Dawlish. 

Why free until 6pm? I know of a lot of people who used the Astroturf both young and mature after school and work who are deeply upset.

Not everyone wants to or can afford to join a club.

I can’t imagine that many families will be able to afford £21 for the hour and as I said before it will be the select few who are lucky enough to be able to afford to use it.

I have grown up in Dawlish and my children and their friends have been using the facility for years, they are now really disappointed that they are not going to be able to use it anymore.

Considering the pitch was one of the oldest of its kind in Devon and it has had an extensive amount of use in its 20 year reign it’s a bit of an insult to accuse people of vandalism, especially when there had been no previous mention of this when Teignbridge announced their plans.

At least it will stay looking good though!

I am entitled to accuse people of vandalism when I have seen it with my own eyes.  £21 is for the wole astro turf unless it's a family of 20 then I doubt the whole astro would be needed. Like I said previously there used to be a 1/2 charge for the use of a half. This would be £10.50 for an hour. If this is still the case then it represents good value in my opinion. If not then maybe this is something that Teignbridge should look at doing. 

I am saying that as the old pitch had received extensive use in the last 20 years it has obviously been well looked after by the majority of the people.  There will always be a minority who have no respect for things but the majority who are just trying to keep fit and healthy with their friends or family in a respectful manor should not be penalized for it.

If the Astroturf was grant funded and not paid for out of TDC's budget who's decision was it to charge also where will the money go?

Hopefully Michael Clayson will get some answers from Teignbridge.

I believe Teignbridge did contribute around £100,000 towards the project (I may be wrong). The astro was never free to use. It was just never locked so people used it without paying, myself included. Most people did this well and with respect but as is often the case a small minority ruined it for the rest of us. 

Hello Dawlish Residents,

The Green Spaces and Active Leisure department at Teignbridge District Council wanted to come back to you regarding the matter you have been posting about and hopefully answer some of your questions.

Open access of the previous Astroturf was unofficial rather than consciously providing open access to the facility. The pitch was on the brink of being ‘unfit’ for purpose and so it was essential to renovate it in order to prevent injury to those hiring the pitch as well as those using it through unofficial open access. Should an incident occurred we may have been liable for this. Other facilities such as this are also kept locked to the public unless hired so this is not unusual, in fact the old arrangement was.

The new surface we have managed to secure is a top quality sports surface of national standard which we need to make sure we maintain properly and guard against misuse in order to maintain our guarantee. We are aware that the majority of those using the old facility did so respectfully and for the purpose it was designed, however, there are always a few that have other ideas. We have already found broken glass on the new pitch as well as mud trampled in. Should this continue the new surface would not last as long as it should and if it became damaged would void the guarantee and I am sure we all want this new facility to last as long as possible.

Current charges are comparatively low compared to similar facilities across Devon and it can be booked provided there is some supervision in place. We are also currently looking into a funding bid to provide alternative open access areas on the site such as a set of football goal posts on the grass area which can be used for informal football and also a trim trail for people to use to keep fit.

I hope that you can now understand some of the reasons behind the way the new Astroturf in managed.

Kind regards

The Green Spaces and Active Leisure Team

Teignbridge District Council

As someone that used the astro almost daily in the summer this news was devastating. If the original astro costing system was kept up then this wouldn't be a problem because people wouldn't have got into the habit of being able to go and play football at will without having to rent out the whole astro. In places like Torquay and Paignton with similar type Astros there isn't the same problem because there are alternative non grass surfaces to play on.

If there was just a simple caged concrete area with a goal either end it would please most people but we have nothing. Don't start complaing when kids start kicking balls around the car parks or against the leisure centre wall

Perhaps the open access area on the site that TDC are currently looking into funding will be similar to Torquay or Paignton.

Sounds good, lets hope they don't take too long looking into and get a move on.

 Wonder what Michael Clayson and our other local councillors views are on this?

Sensible & Correct Decision by TDC.

The old facility was abused and vandalised.

FACT.

@ZIGGY

in answer to your question.  I asked TDC to provide more information about their decisions at Sandy Lane and I think what's been said is reasonable.

My personal opinion is that more open access facilities as described would be great.  Realistically there is a financial challenge to overcome.  I've asked for more detail of what's being considered to see if this might be an opportunity for the Town Council to match fund some investment as this may help move things forward.  Until I know the full details and have discussed this with other councillors I can't say more than this

@michaelclayson

Many thanks on getting back to me. I hope the Town Council will see sense and come up with a suitable solution, although i for one will not be holding my breath!

@Northerner

As you seem to know for a FACT the old Astroturf was abused and vandalised please could you elaborate.

Bikes being ridden around on it. (Witnessed)

Hockey nets ruined by people playing football. (Ask the leisure centre)

Broken Glass on it (Have people who have booked it done this?)

Lock cut off gate when locked (Ask the leisure centre)

Fence damaged when gate was locked (Ask the leisure centre)

Tennis Nets kicked over and seprating curtain ripped down (Witnessed)

Don't get me wrong, I am all for people (especially the kids) having somewhere to kick a ball about and the old facility was fine. All I am saying is that if so much money has been invested in this facility, then it needs to be protected and properly managed.

I wouldn't worry though - give at a few months and the leisure centre will get lax at policing it and just leave it un-locked like before (that is already happening by the way).

@Northerner.

Broken glass on the old pitch (Have people who booked it done this?) Surely not.

Didn't i read a comment on here made by TDC that they have already found broken glass and trampled in mud on the new pitch.

Have people who booked it done this. Surely not!

Exactly my point - It's people who have not booked it who are abusing it.

ie: the ones who climb over from the bowling green & DCC sides.

CCTV cameras springs to mind.