WORK is starting on a £2m extension of the facilities at the KGV. Bailiff Geoffrey Rowland, chairman of trustees, unveiled a plaque on Saturday to mark the redevelopment of the Rue Cohu site, which will take place in four phases.
Once completed, the area will include a sports hall with a link building to the current clubhouse, which will be revamped with corporate hospitality boxes, a second balcony and possibly even an internet cafe among many other ideas.
‘It is an extension which started some seven years ago at the planning stage,’ said Jeff Guilbert, chairman of the KGV management committee.
He added that various designs had been mooted over that period with many different aspects needing to be taken into consideration.
‘We were looking at it as more than a sports venue - it should encompass the whole community because it is a family-orientated club.
‘We have three-year-olds here every day for their own type of social functions [the pre-school], up to 80-plus-year-olds coming for the bridge club as well as other groups such as weight-watchers. And, of course, the Dyslexia Centre has been here some 30-odd years.’
In addition, many sports also use the venue.
Cricket, rugby, football and netball are all catered for outdoors, while currently pool, darts and euchre are played in the clubhouse. Darts, in particular, has really taken off at the venue with three boards now stationed in the bar area being heavily used.
Sports for the disabled are also long-term users of the KGV.
The new hall, which will be built on the former cricket net site to the left of the entrance driveway, could house any number of sports such as netball, basketball, tennis and even roller hockey if so desired.
The link building will accommodate the changing facilities for hall users and an activity room while the ground floor of the current clubhouse will have improved changing rooms and the addition of one for officials.
Over the past five years, improvements costing a six-figure sum have been made to the existing facilities such as the bar relocation and upgrading the toilets.
‘Everything was just coming to the end of its life,’ Guilbert said.
Cash is now the main requirement to press ahead with the ambitious plans.
Phase one will cost in the region of £180,000 and there is £50,000 in the fund at present. Various avenues are being explored with a commercial loan a possibility.
‘Funding at the KGV had a big turnaround a few years ago when we put all the sub leases on properly commercial leases,’ said Guilbert.
Expendable revenue coming into the KGV is now at a good level because of that and corporate hospitality boxes could double it.
Guilbert also talks of the possibility of other events such as music concerts being held at the KGV after the work is completed, such is his exciting vision for the place.
‘If money was no object, it could probably be built in 18 months. The timeframe we would like to aim for would be about three [years] but realistically we are looking more at five.
‘We also express our gratitude to John Pettitt at architects Cresswell, Cuttle and Dyke who has helped us get it all through Environment.’
Article posted on 28th May, 2007 - 12.00am
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