CROWDS of villagers gathered, despite the mist and mizzle on Saturday to celebrate the official opening of Hamsterley’s new multi-use games area (MUGA), four years after the project began.
About 50 people of all ages attended the event when there was fizz and nibbles ahead of the ribbon cutting, officiated by former England footballer Dave Thomas.
The idea to transform the tennis courts into the MUGA was initially talked about in 2015, but it wasn’t until 2019 that the project began to take shape. Working in partnership with the parish council, Hamsterley Community Sports Association (HCSA), created plans for the area, raised more than £70,000 to fund the work and organised contractors to complete the transformation.
As well as £35,000 Teesdale Action Partnerships’ town and villages fund and £10,000 from Durham County Councillors James Cosslett and Robert Potts town and villages pots, local businesses and individuals also supported the project with donations.
HCSA trustee and parish councillor Helen Kirby gave thanks to all saying without the support of Hathaway Roofing, Hydram KD-LR, L and T Heintz, Martin Tilford, Mike Thorne, Empty Ironmonger, SG Petch, YRM and Mavis Brown, the project would not have been completed. Hamsterley resident Lucy Heintz, who played a big part in the MUGA creation, said: “It has been a real team effort and everyone was so supportive.”
Residents couldn’t wait to use the revamped sports area with young and old trying out all kinds of sporting games from football and netball to basketball.
A booking system has been put in place for residents and visitors to hire the new MUGA, but it will be free for the next two weeks. Funding from Durham County Council’s fun and food programme will also see activities through the school holidays taking place at the MUGA.
Parish councillor and trustee of the HCSA, Ronnie Maughan, said: “It has been on the parish council’s agenda for a while and it will be nice to be able to take it off.”
![A COUNTY councillor is backing a campaign to get a pedestrian crossing in Staindrop. Frustrated parish councillors in the village summoned their county council representative Cllr George Richardson to their latest meeting to discuss several issues, including the call for a safe way to cross the A688. Earlier this year their request for a crossing was turned down by the county council’s highways officers. Parish council chairman Jonothan Raper described the reasons for the refusal as “spurious” and called on Cllr Richardson to support their campaign. He added: “One of the arguments they made was there is no clear line of desire when they studied the village – well this isn’t a clear line of desire because there isn’t a crossing, people cross whenever they can. “When the lollipop person was there, one of the things I noticed was people would walk all the way down to the lollipop person to cross the road to go to the shop or to go to the school.” He added a problem of parking at the primary school is exacerbated because people are too afraid to walk their children across the road. Cllr Richardson said he had supported previous attempts for a crossing point with the first being made about 15 years ago. He added: “We went fairly well down the road with that and they looked into it. The only recommended place was where the bus stop is and to get the visibility splays, people on the other side of the road would lose their parking. “That didn’t go down well so it just died a death.” Cllr Raper said he suspected the real reason for the officers’ refusal was the cost of installing a crossing. He added that much of the cost could be recovered from savings made on not having to employ a lollipop patrol. Cllr Raper said: “A lollipop person only provides a benefit of crossing for three hours of the day. You are getting 21 extra hours of crossing time [with a pedestrian crossing].” Cllr Richardson said he would raise the issue with the county council’s cabinet member for highways, Cllr John Shuttleworth.](https://teesdalemercury.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/12/georgeR-120x86.jpg)
