Tag: Recreation Ground

  • Bus to provide up-to-date venue for youth services

    Bus to provide up-to-date venue for youth services

    The first of two new Youth Buses run by The Connections Bus Project is about to start serving communities across the region – but not Histon & Impington.

    The charity, which describes itself as a ‘Youth Club on Wheels’, operates 14 drop-in youth clubs each week. The new buses will replace the two aging vehicles that used to serve villages across the county.   

    With funding support from the National Lottery Community Fund, The Foyles Foundation and Joanies Fund, the refurbished double-decker buses have been fitted out to provide a safe and welcoming space for young people to gather, access support, and participate in various activities.

    Features of the buses include comfortable seating areas, dedicated spaces for crafts, tabletop games and puzzles, and up-to-date games consoles and PCs with internet access. There are facilities on board for playing music, phone charging points, a snack bar, outdoor sports equipment and an undercover outdoor area.

    New branding and new graphics have given the buses a new look.

    Alan Webb, who managed the project to create the new buses, said: “Having gathered feedback from young people who use our services and the staff who work for us, I think we have created a space that will suit everyone.”

    Andrea Cowley, Assistant Manager of The Connections Bus Project commented: “We’ve listened to what young people want and need, and we’re confident that we’re offering a service that truly addresses those needs.”

    No change in H&I

    Although the launch of the new Connections Bus was held at Histon Baptist Church, there are currently no plans for the new bus to be made available to young people in Histon & Impington.

    At least until December 2025, the Monday youth clubs are due to continue meeting at the community room in the Pavilion at the New Road Recreation Ground.

    Parish Clerk Chelsea O’Brien told HI HUB: “The Recreation Ground is not an ideal venue for a double decker bus to visit, with the height restriction barrier, high levels of parking and a restricted turning space it will be difficult to safely accommodate the bus.”

    But the Connections Bus services to the village are currently under review following concerns raised about the value for money offered, and Chelsea continued: “I am sure [the Youth Provision Working Group] will include considering the provision of the youth bus in their overall review of youth provision going forward.”

    Commenting on the reasons why their buses don’t serve Histon & Impington, Alan Webb said: “Our youth work in Histon is guided by the contract we have with the Parish Council and their request for services. The youth buses have not visited Histon since 2011.

    “It is true that facilities are different on the youth buses but not superior to those at the Pavilion which includes table tennis, cooking, use of the MUGA and more which are not available or possible on the youth buses.

    “We are in communication with the Parish Council regarding youth services moving forward and currently are not aware of any changes. We are awaiting a youth plan that they will be revealing in June, I believe.”

  • Public hires to cost more for some Rec facilities

    Price increases for using the sports and pavilion facilities at the Recreation Ground will come into force next month. A lot of hire costs will remain the same, but there will be increases for a few facilities. The new prices apply to public hire arrangements only, with fees for clubs calculated separately.

    The steepest increase in public hire fees will be for the cricket pitches, which go up from £75 to £120 per match on the 1st square and to £100 on the 2nd square.

    The Parish Council, which sets the hire fees, says the increases have been made “to reflect the superior quality of Pitch 1” and that the new charges reflect those applied for cricket pitches elsewhere around Cambridge. The fact that a “cricket game lasts longer than football” is also factored into the pricing structure. 

    Cllr Joseph Uttridge commented that these charge rises would be acceptable as long as the quality of the pitches is maintained. 

    Other increases

    Football, bowls and tennis hire by the public will also see increases, but by lower amounts. The cost of hiring a pitch for a football match will rise from £69 to £70 and the hourly fee for hire of the bowling green will rise from £9 to £15. 

    Use of the hard and grass courts for tennis will go from £9 to £10 an hour, or £13 to £14 with floodlights on a hard court. But fees for using the hard court for netball will remain the same. The new prices are broadly in line with Orchard Park, where the tennis courts cost £10, and the price of a court for netball is £20. Slight discounts are available for residents and block bookings.

    Commercial hire of the H&I Rec for activities such as training courses will remain at £13 per hour, though use of the changing rooms will rise from £13 to £16.

    Club fees

    With the exception of the bowls club, all the village sports clubs using the Rec will see price increase too. These will range from £8.25 for the croquet club to £938 for the tennis club. 

    The increase to the cricket club will be £504, while Histon Hornets will see a £439 rise. 

    Tennis representative Jane Fidler commented that the tennis club was “surprised” by the 12.4% increase, and a meeting with the club was due to discuss the fee in more detail. 

    For full details of the charges for and availability of Recreation Ground facilities hire, see the Parish Council website. 

    READ MORE: Rec development proposals omit pump track

  • Rec development proposals omit pump track

    Councillors are being asked to approve further spending on consultants to produce another report on options for the development of the Rec.

    The Wellbeing Recreation and Leisure Committee (WRL) will be asking a meeting of the Full Parish Council next week for the go-ahead to contract work for a new Masterplan for the Recreation Ground based on “several potential constituent ideas” – but a pump track is not on the list of ideas for consideration.

    Development proposals

    The ideas being put forward include new uses for the former groundsman’s house at 12 New Road, which has been empty for over a year; the Parish Council Compound, where equipment is stored; a tarmac car parking area; and increased and improved office space, meeting space and Council staff rest space.

    Also on the list are the play area, a perimeter path around the Rec, a new surface water management system to improve drainage and improvements to the Pavilion.

    The tennis facilities are up for consideration again after Councillors backtracked on plans to replace the grass courts with four all-weather surfaces, and suggested that some of that land could be used for parking.

    Pump track not included

    A notable absentee from the list is a pump track.

    The demand for a pump track in the village was first identified in a 2021 Parish Council survey to determine priorities for recreation and leisure facilities in the village.

    Then in 2023, in a consultation by the Pump Track charity, residents identified The Rec as the most popular location for siting a pump track, and residents were subsequently told by the Parish Council that this would be considered.

    Despite a commitment that the WRL Committee would review and reconsider the provision of a pump track on the Rec, this was never put on a Committee agenda.

    No progress has been reported since, despite Cllr Davies, Chair of the Rec Development Group (RDG), telling the WRL Committee that he would recommend that a pump track on the Recreation Ground should be included in a review of future uses of the Rec.

    Request for approval

    Thousands of pounds have already been spent with surveyors Wilby and Burnett, who have been working with the RDG – a working party of the WRL Committee – since 2023 to create a Masterplan for the Rec.

    But the committee believes that circumstances have changed sufficiently to require an “updated quote from surveyors” to conduct the work again, based on the ideas now being put forward. They are asking the Full Council meeting on Monday 17 March to approve spending on a further report on options by August/September 2025.

  • Swings re-open at The Green

    Work to replace two sets of children’s swings in the play area at The Green has been completed, with all now fully open to the public again.

    Contractors for the Parish Council began work on replacing the swing sets on 24 January and completed the job this week, having removed the old sets and assembled the new equipment. Weather conditions allowed for the replacements to be installed on schedule and the work was undertaken in fenced-off areas.

    Removal for safety

    An annual external inspection of the play area at The Green and the Rec last August found several issues with the old swing sets and basket swing, giving them a high-risk rating and leading to the seats on all the swings being removed straight away.

    The inspection found that parts of the timber on the structures had rotted, connecting lugs (on the chains) were worn in some cases, there was damage to the surface beneath the swings, and grass mats were missing or loose.

    Metal replacements

    Swings back in action at the Green.

    Quotes were sought initially for removing the posts and replacing them with new wooden ones, with metal feet to prevent them rotting in the future.

    But when the costs of replacing the entire wooden sets with metal sets were found to be comparable, and this option to be easier to maintain and covered by covered by a longer guarantee, the Council chose this instead.

    READ ALSO: Rec development plans on the agenda for Council Committee meeting | HI HUB

    Correction 10/2/25: The basket swing at the Recreation ground Play Area has not yet been replaced as the Parish Council is still deciding what equipment is going where.

  • Price increases proposed for using Rec facilities

    Price increases proposed for using Rec facilities

    Items on the agenda for discussion at the next meeting of the Parish Council’s Wellbeing, Recreation and Leisure Committee include:

    • Price increases for clubs and public to use the Recreation Ground facilities
    • A verbal update on the Youth Provision Working Group
    • An update from the Rec Development Group

    The meeting takes place on Monday 10 February in the Community Room at the Rec, starting at 7.30pm. All Histon & Impington residents are invited to attend to listen to the debates, and any resident wishing to address the meeting should contact the office to request a slot. Email clerk@hisimp-pc.gov.uk. For more details, see the agenda pack here

  • Gentle Yoga

    Pauline Yoga is holding a gentle yoga class on Friday 24th March from 7.30 – 9pm at Histon and Impington Recreation Ground.

    Celebrate the Spring equinox with a balancing, grounding yoga class.

    To book contact Pauline on 07985 947328, email paulineyoga@gmail.com

  • Proposals for opening greater access to tennis courts

    Proposals for opening greater access to tennis courts

    Proposals for introducing new technology to make it easier for the community to use the tennis courts on the Recreation Ground will be discussed at the Parish Council’s Wellbeing, Recreation & Leisure Committee on Monday 6 February.

    At the meeting, Councillors will be deciding whether or not to push ahead with a tennis club suggestion for introducing online court booking and payment, and an automated court access system with entry via a key pad.

    Other items on the agenda include a request for investment in ‘Cushionfall top up’ for the Rec Play Area, and proposals for a workshop to discuss the priorities and requirements of the Rec.

    The Wellbeing, Recreation & Leisure Committee will meet on Monday 6 February at 7:30pm in the Community Room at the Rec. All Histon & Impington residents are invited to attend to listen to the debates. The agenda pack and related papers can be found online here. Anyone wishing to address the meeting should email clerk@hisimp-pc.gov.uk in advance.

  • Hatha Yoga

    Pauline Yoga is holding a yoga class suitable for beginners and intermediate on Saturday mornings from 9-10am at Histon and Impington Recreation Ground.

    Mindful yoga to improve strength and flexibility with classic yoga postures, breathing practices and slow flow sequences.

    Email paulineyoga@gmail.com for more information.

  • Cambridge Quilters

    Cambridge Quilters

    Cambridge Quilters hold evening meetings on the second Wednesday of the month from 7.30pm for a 7.45pm start at Histon and Impington Recreation Ground.

    Visitors are welcome to attend meetings for £6 per visit.

    See the 2023 Programme for details.

  • Multi Skills

    A Multi Skills clubs runs on Fridays from 4.15 – 5pm at Histon and Impington Recreation Ground.

    Aimed at children in Reception to Year 2 to learn and enjoy playing sports based games.

    Email george@kickstartactivelife.co.uk for more information.