FOOTBALL CRAZY: Children celebrate the return of football at Ely Recreation Ground
and, right, Peter Sullivan, from Ely Garden
Villagers Action Group, and Avenue Hotspurs
FC manager Stuart Cosslett ..
picture: Richard Swingier©
Lisa Jones
Clubs seven-year fight faces another hurdle
A FOOTBALL team has finally managed to secure a pitch for its youngsters to play on after SEVEN years of campaigning.
Avenue Hotspurs, based in Ely, Cardiff, were forced to disband their youth
teams in 2001 because the old pitch had become unusable as a result of anti-social behaviour.
The recreation field off Wilson Road had become a dumping ground for burned-out cars and a haven for scrambler motorcyclists and stray horses, leaving it unsuitable for sports. The changing rooms were vandalised and goalposts broken.
But a clean-up, which has seen council staff marking up pitches for the children, has led to a phenomenal response from would-be footballers.
Pete Sullivan, assistant team manager, said: "We sent a couple of leaflets round but the response we got was unreal. Luckily enough there were a couple of guys who are qualified to teach who turned up."
However, the battle for a permanent home is not yet over. Cardiff council has applied to build a total of 330 new homes on parts of the field off Snowden Road and Pethybridge Road.
But angry residents, keen to preserve the area as a green space, fought the plans.
The application was deferred for more consultation and the results of a five-month study of dormice, due in January.
The Hotspurs' adult side, who are top of the Combination League, have had to play in Trelai for the past seven years and are battling to get the changing rooms and toilets repaired so they can move back to Ely. Without the move, they cannot gain promotion.
Everything hangs on the planning committee's decision.
"It's a shame, because it could be another two or three years before the planning issue is settled," said Mr Sullivan, of Llewellyn Avenue.
"We've got all the children formed into teams. It keeps them off the streets.
"We have been given a donation of £10,000 from a supporter to pay for the restoration of the changing rooms and toilets, which is being match-funded by the Sports Council for Wales.
"We are offering our time to do the work. We've got a few qualified tradesmen in the team, but nothing permanent can be done until the outcome of the planning application."
THE children of Ely would like to thank the Parks management for cutting the grass every fortnight, marking the football pitch, fixing the fencing and finally giving them their much-deserved goalpost.
The look on their faces to see the goalpost put back was priceless.
Every Thursday throughout the summer holidays at 6pm more than 80 children and parents turn up for football practice and it's been amazing.
Every Monday, 10.30am-3.30pm, throughout the holidays, Cardiff Sport has made their summer one they won't forget, not forgetting the baseball on Sundays with more than 25 children and parents turning up.
To all the parents in Ely, thank you for your on-going support. Your children are a credit to you.
To all the 16-year-olds and under thanks for leaving the streets and joining in - well done! Three friendlies and you won the three.
We were told there are no alternatives to houses, that we had to keep our children off the streets away from crime and drugs, but to my mind a healthy child is a happy child.
Please find somewhere else to build your houses and leave our ONLY recreation fields out of your plans.
Lynda Sullivan
Llewellyn Avenue, Ely, Cardiff
IN response to your article Saturday, May 24, 2008, Fighting For Playing Fields.
What was the council thinking paying tenants money to vacate houses that are only proposed?
If the tenants were left in these houses then they would not have been set alight.
Whoever made the decision to pay and remove these tenants should be made accountable for their actions. As well as the money being paid to the tenants (between £3,000-£7,000) what about all the revenue lost while these houses have been left empty?.
A total waste of taxpayers' money if you ask me! As stated in the Echo these are only proposed plans and most of the residents are totally against them.
Jane Sully Wilson Road, Ely, Cardiff
Gavin O'Connor
would have a massive impact?"
Neil Godfrey, 50, of Glyndwr Road, Ely, just yards from the playing fields, helped to construct the area as a builder.
"In this area of Ely there's a population of more than 30,000," he said. "I've lived here all my life and this park is ideal for residents and youngsters to enjoy.
"There's only one person I've come across who's in favour of development and that's because he thinks the value of his house will go up."
There are currently 19 green and play areas across Wales under threat from developments.
Plaid Cymru MEP Jill Evans said parks in any area were of great importance.
"We should never ignore the huge effect that local green play areas can have on people's lives.
"They are key to allowing our children to get .regular exercise and a variety of learning experiences.
"We have to fight to keep these playing fields because they are becoming more and more rare."
Cardiff Council said, "The proposals include 4.5 hectares of new open space - a new formal recreation area of 2.7 hectares at the centre of the new development plus 1.8 hectares of amenity open space adjoining the western boundary of the planning application site - compared with 5.8 hectares which comprises the existing recreation ground."
gavin.o'connor@ media wales, co. uk
CAMPAIGNERS are putting the brakes on developers building over play areas in one of Cardiff's largest housing estates.
The Ely Recreation Ground, near Glyndwr Road in Ely, is being threatened with the prospect of more than 300 new homes covering the area.
A planning application has been put forward to Cardiff council, but protestors say they have twice delayed a decision.
Pete Sullivan, 43, of Llewellyn Avenue, Ely, is spearheading a group, Ely Garden Villagers.
"We found out what was going on at Ely Recreation Ground eight months ago and have been campaigning ever since.
"I've collected a 3,000-name petition to get the council to understand the strength of feeling," said Mr Sullivan, a train driver who has handed out posters saying "Stop North Ely Housing Plans".
"That has been enough to defer a decision on the development of this area twice, but we want it stopped altogether.
"It seems to be too easy for councils to bypass local opinion. Some homeowners have been paid between £3,000 and 7,900 to vacate their houses in readiness for the builders.
"There's a huge deficit of parkland in Ely. When the schools are off, youngsters swarm this area and enjoy the open space.
"We estimate more than two-thirds of the site will be lost to housing, in a housing estate which is one of the biggest in Wales.
"Where was the consultation on this project, which
FURTHER to the recent public meeting to discuss the proposed development of 330 homes on fields adjacent to the community of north Ely, Cardiff, I would urge the council not to go ahead with this project.
Instead it should consider the development of these fields as an area of recreation for the present population of north Ely to enjoy. Reducing this important recreational facility to housing and increasing the population to approximately 1,000 would surely lead to chaos, leading to more problems in this area.
Ken Bowring, Illtyd Road, Ely, Cardiff