Ripley Sports Clubs Hopeful Of New Facilities
Plans to build a new supermarket in Ripley would provide funding for land redevelopment on Nottingham Road.
Gareth Martin, vice chairman of Ripley Rangers is excited at the prospect and opportunities that this plan would create “At the moment there are not enough pitches in Ripley. We have to rely heavily on Mill Hill School, all we’ve got are their pitches and we have to share it between all the different age-ranges. This isn’t good for the state of the ground and at times we even have to mark it out ourselves rather than the school taking care of it. There’s 150 children training and playing with us, but we haven’t got anywhere near enough pitches to keep up at the moment.”
Gareth is worried that the Rangers are losing their great potential “We won the East Midlands Standard Chartered football club of the year, and nearly even the National award. We’ve got a really good club that stands apart from others, but we really need help to keep it going and this would be a massive aid.”
Local Success: Chairman Gary Hounslow (top right) and Vice Chairman Gareth Martin (top centre) accept East Midlands Charter Standard club of the year award from Liam Rooney of the Derbyshire FA. Ripley Rangers’ Ben Rose, Joe Martin (centre left to right), Jack Hounslow and Alfie Hounslow (front left to right).
The club wants a share of what other teams have at the moment “We go to other local teams and we find their facilities are so good.” This feeling is even greater as the club are planning to organise a game with French club Chateau Renault through the twinning association “I’ve no doubt they will have a great base and we want something worthy of showing them when they come over to play us.”
Chairman Garry Hounslow is keen to press on with the clubs plans “We’re looking to set up a club for adults, a lot of the time you get players finish from the U-21’s and think ‘where do I go from here’ and end up at a pub team or at another town. We’d like to keep some continuity going through our own teams.”
Gary and Gareth are concerned that local people think there will be no playing fields at all and a greater knowledge of the situation is needed “Obviously there are a lot of people who haven’t looked close enough at the plans and if they were to, they’d see the benefits. A lot of people think that the playing fields will be lost, when actually the plans are to create more. In fact not only would there be the new, much needed football pitches there would also be a brand new skate park.”
Garry is also aware of the advantages it could have for children in Ripley “We can get more children to enjoy football, improve their fitness and socialize.” The pair agree “At the end of the day, we need these football pitches.”
Despite the optimism, the move is still facing great opposition from local shop-owners who are aware of the problems a new supermarket could create for the towns’ trade. David Clarke owner of Clarke’s is particularly opposed “I think it will have an adverse effect on the towns’ trade. I have heard that Morrisons will be looking to create their own clothes range and this could have a huge effect on my business. It’s much more difficult to grow your business in this recession and competition from another big supermarket is not going to help the situation.”
The move will create a play area and a multi-use games arena,the existing cricket ground and rugby pitch will be relocated nearby. In addition, a new skate park will also be built that users of the current park have agreed to and a path will be laid down around the perimeters which will hopefully encourage walkers and runners to use. Football clubs in Ripley are extremely excited at the prospect of having four new football pitches for their own use.
Andrew Bock of Clowes Westerman; who have purchased the land, says he would like to make the facilities“bigger and better”. Arrangements are currently at a stand still as the chain; Morrisons are still awaiting a decision regarding the Councils consent. If it is approved, money from the purchase price would be used to fund the arrangements.
For more information on the gateway, please visit http://www.ripleygateway.co.uk/
Article contributed by David Mee
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