Mini golf, cricket nets and padel courts proposed for Bristol Downs
It's thought the idea would encourage more people into sport and raise vital money for maintenance of the area
A mini golf course and cricket nets are being proposed for the Downs to get more people involved in sport and raise extra cash for maintaining the green space.
A mini golf operator has proposed building the new course behind the water tower and would take on responsibility for maintaining the nearby public toilet block.
The England and Wales Cricket Board are also reportedly keen to help set up new nets on the Downs.
Updates on the new sports facilities were given to the Downs committee on Monday, June 10. A lack of cash to keep the historic parkland maintained has been a recurring issue for years, but new sports facilities could help fill the funding gap.
Luke Mackenzie, the Downs business development manager, said: “We’ve had an approach from an operator looking to do mini golf, that he would like to do around the back of the water tower. That would involve taking on the second toilet block in that area. He would need to operate and open the toilets for public usage.
“But that would take on the burden of repairing the building and its upkeep. This would be proposed on a lease for a yet-to-be-agreed period, that would bring in an additional annual income to the Downs committee, and also cut costs that are currently borne by the council.”
As well as mini golf, cricket and padel are also planned. Multi-use games areas could also be installed, and personal trainers would be encouraged to use these areas instead of holding classes on the grass.
The Downs committee could charge them a small fee for each class.
Mr Mackenzie added: “We’ve been looking at some cricket nets. The ECB is keen to invest in the sport within Bristol, because they see it as an area that perhaps hasn’t had as much as possible. We’re trying to see if we can get some funding for them and deliver a facility which can then be used and rented out.
“The other sport we’re looking at is padel. We could maybe get an operator coming in to use part of the Downs to take this on. I’ve had some initial conversations with the legal department about what could be permitted. For padel courts, you would need some walls around it.
“Obviously if there’s no enclosure to it, there’s no revenue. It would just be an additional cost to the council. We’re also looking at the potential for some multi-use games areas, which could lap over with some of the PTs personal trainers, maybe try and get some of them off the grass.
"That would make it much easier for us to control the charging to use our facilities.”