Local volunteers have hatched a plan to transform Abergavenny’s Bailey Park with the help of a lottery bid worth around £1 million.

The ambitious project could see the entire park revamped, as local groups and councillors aim to build an all-new pavillion and all-weather 3G pitch, a regenerated bandstand and tennis courts, all subject to an application for lottery funding.

Working with local councillors, the Friends of Bailey Park are busy drumming up support for the bid, which they hope could secure funds in the region of one million pounds — an amount with potential to back a root and branch transformation of the popular park.

Although in the early stages, the bid includes plans for a state-of-the-art 3G pitch, extensive landscaping, a new pavilion with coffee shop, and improvements to the current bandstand, tennis courts, fencing, pathways, and verges.

Shirley Barnfield, chair of the Friends of Bailey Park, said the community must get behind the bid as the park was falling into disrepair, despite the efforts of groups such as hers.

“We are in desperate need of help. The park, sadly, is slipping slowly into a state of decay,” she said.

“It would be wonderful to get this bid going and bring Bailey Park back as a space for the whole community. It is essential that we get this lottery bid right. After all, if you don’t use it, you’ll lose it, as they say.

“It’s about the passion for the park. Older generations remember when it was in a better condition. We have to ensure the park is there for the future generations to come,” she said.

??One councillor involved said the bid could regenerate a popular, but somewhat jaded park often blighted by littering, bouts of vandalism, and reports of anti-social behaviour. One aspect of the bid, he hopes, will encourage a cafe culture amongst younger visitors.

Councillor Tudor Thomas, said the pavilion would offer a new option for visitors, and a place for teenagers to meet friends, alongside the many locals who regularly visit the park.

“I’m very supportive of that,” he said. “It would be good generally, and especially for older teenagers. Rather than them go to the pub or the wine bar, they could meet for a coffee in the evenings. Teenagers want to socialise. Unfortunately, the only place they can do is in licensed premises.”?

The Priory Ward councillor said the bid was not a Monmouthshire County Council project, and that its success depended upon locals getting behind the project. A recent meeting involving organisers, and some members of the public, found strong support for the bid. ??“The park has been described as the ‘jewel in the crown’, but, it’s now not in the best of states. The Friends of Bailey Park do an incredible job and they work incredibly hard, but, it’s an uphill job. There’s no money in the MCC coffers or anywhere else. ??“What we need is a big dollop of money. You’re talking one million pounds, or thereabouts. There would have to be some help from the county council, and I hope that possibility would be forthcoming.

“But it must be made clear that this is not an MCC project. The Friends need a lot of support if this is to happen. We are hoping people will step forward.”

The process can take two to three years, but organisers have taken heart from a similar, although smaller scale bid which proved successful in Usk in which a community group raised £120,000 — with £100,000 from the Big Lottery Fund — to build a new childrens’ play area which open up last summer.

The group of parents and locals raised further cash through events, and with the support of businesses, and other charitable organisations.

Teslin Davies, an Abergavenny town councillor and secretary for Friends of Bailey Park, said a recent open evening which saw Mark Cleaver from MCC give a presentation, outlined the ongoing bid. ??“The next priorities for the park include the gravelling of the tennis courts as they are not fit for purpose,” she said. “A focus on urban wildlife, and involving younger people in the project will take place through consultations over the next few months. ??“The group, and the stakeholders (these include any groups that use the park on a regular basis (the rugby club, petanque, cycling clubs) are all enthusiastic in their drive to get the bid agreed.

“There is also a need to emphasise that the park is everyone’s responsibility and issues such as litter and dog fouling were also brought up during the meeting,” added the councillor.

The bid has attracted arms-length support from the county council. Councillor Bryan Jones, cabinet member with responsibility for parks and open spaces said, “Monmouthshire County Council is supporting the Friends of Bailey Park and Abergavenny Town Team to develop a funding bid for improvements to Bailey Park. 

“A short online survey carried out late in 2017 was hosted on the county council’s website. Further consultations carried out by the groups involved will take place over the summer.” 

The Friends of Bailey Park group are always keen to encourage people to join in with litter-picking During the summer months, there are regular sessions on Thursday evenings from 6pm.

If anyone is interested in joining The Friends of Bailey Park, please feel free to contact Councillor Teslin Davies (Priory Ward), secretary of The Friends of Bailey Park, email: [email protected].