Call for athletics track for Ribble Valley (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Call for athletics track for Ribble Valley
10:00am Monday 17th September 2012 in News
AN Athletics coach is hoping the legacy of the Olympic Games will lead to a sports track being built in the Ribble Valley.
Don Lennon, who runs the Ribble Valley Athletics Group, currently trains with his team of 30 athletes at Witton Park, in Blackburn, because of a lack of facilities in the borough.
He is now working with Ribble Valley Council to try and build a track at Roefield, in Edisford Road, Clitheroe, with the hope of it attracting even more youngsters to take part in sport.
The 44-year-old, who set up the club six years ago, said: “I think the Olympics certainly has highlighted the need for more sports facilities.
“Athletes like Samantha Murray have come from Clitheroe but have not really been able to train there and have had to travel outside the borough to get those sporting facilities.
“It would be great to get a track in the Ribble Valley. We have a great array of talent here and I think it would encourage people to take part in more sports.”
Don, who lives in Accrington, spent 18 days in London during the Olympics as a volunteer Games Maker.
He was put into the transport department and tasked with driving some high-profile celebrities, like Sir Steve Redgrave and Sir Clive Woodward, as well as Games officials, to and from events.
Don said: “It was absolutely brilliant to be able to not just have them in the car, but to have conversations with them too.
“One of the things Steve said was about how fantastic it was to have the Games in our own country.
“It was a fantastic experience, it was a once in a lifetime opportunity and I will never get the chance to do it again.
“I hope and pray the legacy does continue for years to come and that the whole country will get the benefits.”
Comments(5)
charmed-one
says...
10:57pm Mon 17 Sep 12
2 for 5p wrote:Not quite the same thing as having 200+ cars coming down narrow residential streets. Currently, there is a an indoor football centre, gym and swimming baths at Roefield, so it makes sense to have the athletics track there too. Plus, there is a large car park across the road.
Oh the nimbys won't like that that would attract more people to the ribble valley.
I wonder how long it will be before some idiot is ranting about the roads not being able to cope with the extra cars. :-)
Just because we live in Clitheroe doesn't automatically mean we are nimby's. Common sense suggests the site for the proposed 345+ houses (mentioned in last week's paper) isn't suitable.
Dickiepayshey
says...
9:14pm Wed 19 Sep 12
I live in the Ribble Valley (please note the upper cases) , not a million feet from Roefield, and would welcome such facilities for our young folk.
P.S. I've turned 70 so it's not self interest which 'colours my view' on the matter !!
valleywarrior
says...
11:49am Thu 20 Sep 12
UKIP-Ron
says...
8:03pm Mon 1 Oct 12
all have a common thing and thats the RVBC tax man who wanders down there on busy days getting loads of revenue from the public who over stay their time by 10 or 14 mins.
dont hold your breat about the track as well, i approached the same council about that one over 10 years ago. they went straight to the point. NO MONEY now bugger off.
2 for 5p says...
9:00pm Mon 17 Sep 12
I wonder how long it will be before some idiot is ranting about the roads not being able to cope with the extra cars. :-)