Grand Opening of the Pavilion
Saturday 27 September 1997

How the Pavilion Was Built - Chairman

Swanage Cricket Club welcomes you to a very special day in its history and thank you for your support.  We are especially pleased to welcome Pauline Johnston and look forward to her opening the new Pavilion. We wish you all a very enjoyable day.

Who would have thought at the turn of the 90's decade that we would be approaching the new millennium with such magnificent facilities, just a dream for many of us that has come true. Our old wood army hut gave us many memories and we must remember the efforts of the Members in 1964 to procure the old Pavilion.

l would like to give you an overview of the Project to provide a new Pavilion and Artificial Wicket. The Committee over the last few years must be congratulated for their effort, vision and commitment which made it possible for us to be in a position to present a credible case and then successfully be awarded grants from the Foundation of Sports and the Arts,  Dorset Playing Fields Assoc., Lords Taverners and the National Lottery. None of this would have been possible without the initial planning of Mark Chevalier and Jim Constable and the fund raising efforts of John Burt and many others over the years.  As the Club first started putting the seeds of an idea together we were anticipating a project to refurbish the old Pavilion.  The feasibility of raising sufficient for a brand new Pavilion was rejected as an impossible goal.   However, the new National Lottery appeared on the seen together with the real possibility of a far superior building.

The hard work of putting together the preliminary plans, letters of support and detailed specifications took a good years work. As time went on our confidence and anticipation of successful grant applications grew and at the 1996 AGM we elected a New Pavilion Committee to see the project through. The team of Mike Rigglesworth, Mike Wells, Dave Snook and Roy Smith together with Terry Buck, Peter Constable and myself then started putting a detailed plan together.

In July 1996 an initial grant of £45K was obtained from the National Lottery, further support of interest free loans from members meant a project was viable.  Having appointed Bob Pearce as architect, the more detailed plans and specifications were completed by late Summer 1996 and planning regulations obtained.   The tendering exercise was an interesting period with timescales slipping and the winter fast approaching. The extra cost of the final specification meant that we had to apply for a higher grant. The Lottery Meeting was missed by just one day and the original contractor could not then meet the delayed timescales.  Fortunately for us, Dave Selby stepped in and offered to build the Pavilion for the same price and following several more communications the increased grant of £67K from the National Lottery was secured and the Project would go ahead.

A late start to the demolishing of the old Pavilion, the cold frost of January and wet winter weather led to further delays but by the start of the season Dave Selby with the help of Noel and Sean had completed a superb shell.  We thank them for their quality workmanship and especially for Dave's technical input throughout the project. The season started and teams visiting us in May had to put up with some less than perfect conditions but by mid-June the efforts of the Pavilion Committee and local craftsmen were paying off.  Thanks to all who helped.

Special thanks must be given for the labor free effort given by Mike Wells for electrical installation, Mike Rigglesworth for technical co-ordination, Dave Snook for the UPVC windows and plastic cladding, Ollie Collier for the alarm system and the marvelous efforts given by Joby Westall and Arthur Puckeft who provided the high quality finish to the interior.

l would also like to thank Peter Constable, John Burt, Roy Smith and Mark Saddington for organizing todays events and Terry Buck for keeping the  project finances on track together with all his other efforts for the Club this year.

Last of all, I would like to thank all the Ladies of the club for giving all of us the time to make this dream come true and especially Daphne for her patience and support.

Dave Puckett - Chairman Swanage Cricket Club - 1997