Popular park set to get community hub
Published: 28 January 2020
Park users in Heavitree will soon be able to grab a coffee and a cake while on the go, thanks to a grant from Exeter City Council.
Community charity Park Life Heavitree is building a café and community facility in Heavitree Pleasure Ground.
The café will offer affordable, locally-sourced food and drink and the building will include toilets and a community space that will be able to be hired by local groups.
Work is expected to start in late spring with the building finished by the end of the year.
The exciting facility is being made possible partly due to a £70,000 grant from the City Council’s Strategic Fund.
Ben Hunt, Trustee of Park Life Heavitree, said the facilities would be available to use not just by park users but everyone in the area.
“The grant is really essential in helping to fit out the café and hireable hall space – things like the furniture and kitchen equipment - but also to make sure it is well landscaped on the outside,” he added.
Cllr Amal Ghusain, Lead Councillor for Equalities, Diversity and Communities, said: “Park Life Heavitree is another brilliant example of the fantastic things that communities can achieve for themselves when people get together around a shared purpose. The City Council Grant of £70,000 is the final bit of the funding package needed to realise their ambition of building a Community Hub and Cafe in Heavitree Park."
Park Life Heavitree aims to build community in and around Heavitree Pleasure Ground. It is seeking to get people more active and reduce social isolation as well as getting people involved in their local park
Cllr Ghusain added: "Parklife’s aims of improving health and wellbeing through reducing loneliness and social isolation are absolutely aligned with those of this Council. I am delighted to be able to support the amazing work of the trustees and volunteers.”
This year almost £1m will be allocated to support community groups and organisations working on projects that help make Exeter such a great place to live.
The Exeter Grants Programme aims to support those using their passion, skills, experience and knowledge to make a difference in their community.
For further information about grants go to the City Council website