A community group in Crosby is taking action to revive Coronation Park after contesting plans to build padel courts in the park.
Sefton Council officially withdrew Coronation Park from a six-figure partnership with Sefton Padel in a community meeting held on the 28th of November.
After finding out about the plans in August of this year, residents objected to the proposal of a private members’ club in the community park.
They argued that it was unethical to restrict access to a space meant for everyone.
The council agreed to shelve the plans under the agreement that the neighbourhood will volunteer their time and expertise to help with renovations.
Stephen Watson, Executive Director of Sefton MBC, said: “This park is for the whole community, including those directly adjacent to it.”
The Coronation Park Neighbourhood Team (now known as the Coronation Park Restoration Team) formed in opposition to plans revealed earlier this year for the construction of eleven Padel courts across Sefton – naming Coronation Park, Southport’s Victoria Park, and Duke Street Park in Formby as sites.
Padel is a Mexican sport that combines elements of both tennis and squash and is growing in popularity internationally.
There are now over 1000 courts across the UK, up from 68 in 2019.
Major concerns for neighbouring residents included noise pollution, possible devaluation of properties, heavy traffic, impacts on natural wildlife and privatisation of publicly used land.
Allegations of the courts devaluing neighbouring properties were dismissed by the council, with Mr Watson stating that the claims were not “evidence-based… however, the ward councillors have been heavily focused on the concerns raised regarding traffic and car parking.”
A spokesperson for CPRT said: “We were so euphoric… this has never been about a big moan about padel – it’s brought everyone together, the community’s come together, and we genuinely want to help and restore the park.”
Council budgets for Coronation Park have been under £3000 for the last few years, meaning community involvement has become essential.
The group now has 100-200 locals engaged with the project with many skilled tradespeople volunteering their expertise.
They aim to work closely with Green Sefton – the Sefton Council service powered by volunteers and responsible for maintaining over 300 parks, woodlands, and coastal areas in the borough.
As part of this partnership, the CPRT plan to launch a Park Patron Scheme to create a sustainable source of community funding.
The scheme aims at inviting 300 residents to contribute a £3 monthly donation, generating around £10,800 annually to support Green Sefton in tasks such as habitat restoration.
At least 50 residents have already pledged to contribute the £3 donation, but a spokesperson for CPRT said: “a lot more people will pay more”, with many pledging up to £10 a month towards the revival of the site.
A GoFundMe is also being launched to help with ongoing costs.
A key area for improvement is the pond which has been drained for several years due to structural damage and algae build up.
Other priorities include restoring unsafe tennis courts and protecting wildlife like rare birds and hedgehogs – with their overall aim being restoring the park to its former glory and beyond for the enjoyment of visitors.
The group are actively seeking new volunteers and patrons – to get involved go to https://eu.jotform.com/form/253285004791356
@merseynewslive A community group in Crosby is taking action to revive Coronation Park after contesting council plans to build Padel courts on the park bowling green. Read more on our website -> merseynewslive.co.uk
