CALLS have been made to make The Park in Faringdon Road secure to pave the way for a possible £100,000 pavilion project.

The Mechanics Institute Trust have been working on initiatives in the park since 2002 when complaints about the lack of facilities led to the installation of a play park and a £45,000-a-year pledge.

The group is now drawing up an ambitious plan to revive the old cricket pavilion, which was pulled down in the 1960s, but have said they would not push forward with the consultation until gates are installed and the park fully secured at night.

The toilet block at one corner of the park has been repeatedly vandalised and the Trust wants the site to have parity with the other two town centre retreats – the Town Gardens and Queens Park – as they feel Faringdon Road is being neglected.

Martha Parry, trustee of the Mechanics Institute Trust, said: “Sporadically we have put 12 years of work into that park and we have worked with the council quite successfully.

“We are now starting to lobby to get gates and lights fitted. If it is not secure at night then nothing can be maintained because much of the vandalism will happen at night.

“In 2002 there were complaints and a working party was set up with the council committing £45,000 a year for three years. Then the Lottery said Swindon had not had its fair share and the council received a £200,000 fair shares grant - £62,000 of that was set aside and we consulted actively with residents who prioritised a community area for children and flower beds.

“The toilet blocks have been fixed twice and have been repeatedly vandalised. What we are looking to do is a cricket pavilion with a cafe, toilets, and area where chairs can be stored. That would cost in the region of £100,000, which would be a Lottery grant bid.

“We are pleased with the way the play park is being maintained but we can’t do much more because things keep getting vandalised. There is no sense us trying to do anything else until we have a locking regime like the other two town centre parks.

“This is the oldest park of the three, associated with the foundation of the town, but we feel it has lost out while the others are well kept. We only want the same service as the other two parks get.

“If it was properly locked and there were lights, the police could properly look after it.

“We have £4,000 in our budget for the lights and the council would be able to accommodate the gates through section 106 funds (from other planning applications in the area).

“There are four people who regularly maintain it voluntarily and it would be great if any more volunteers could come forward. We will be consulting about the pavilion over the summer, and if we get the security we can lodge the application.”