Sports club should be improved on this site (From Witney Gazette)

Sports club should be improved on this site

4:00pm Wednesday 18th April 2012 in Letters

Sir – What a wasted opportunity Witney Town Council had at its annual public meeting.

When questioned over the future of West Witney Sports and Social Club, it insisted that moving it to Downs Road was best and that only a “hardcore” of people was against it. But that simply isn’t the case, as the members of the public who were present testified.

What we need is to investigate funding sources to renew and improve facilities on the existing site. We should not lose another beautiful green space as more of our town expands under concrete.

In an age when more and more young people are hooked on television, computer and video games we need to encourage them outside into the fresh air and to take part actively in sport.

If the facilities are moved further away from town then less people will end up using them, particularly as they’ll no longer be accessible to anyone without a car.

As a member and regular user of the club I’ve yet to meet anyone keen on the proposed move. Perhaps this is another example of the Conservative-run council’s detachment from ordinary people and its inability to be up-front with its agenda for the town.

Andrew Coles, Farmington Drive, Witney