Churchill Fields
Below is a letter to the editor about the plans to improve Churchill Fields, which are likely to mean removing the existing running track. The writer has asked to remain anonymous.
If you would like to respond to the points made in the letter, you can either leave a comment below this post, or send an e-mail by clicking on the Contact option at the top of this page. If you would like an e-mail published on this website then please mark it as a letter to the editor, and I’ll be happy to do so.
“On Tuesday night at the public meeting about Churchill Playing Fields, three things stood out like a sore thumb.
“1. Councillor McCann said ‘the running track is superfluous to requirements’ according to some sporting body. Not the local people. Would not Mr McCann think local people should be making this decision and not some anonymous committee in another area?
“2. The running club had not been invited to earlier meetings on the future of the track - was this to bolster the focus on football and rugby?
“3. An important point was made by a rugby club representative: ‘it is perfectly simple for a design to be made that incorporates a running track and playing fields’ (my paraphrase). Like we already have in act. Lots of football clubs have running tracks around them. Its a simple idea.
“Question - is it not the local people who should decide to keep the running track? Mentioning a sporting body saying it is superfluous is bolstering an argument against the track - why would anyone want to get rid of a track? Why create that argument at a consultation meeting? Are you not supposed to listen at those meetings?
“Where else are we going to run? I see lots of playing fields for football all over the place (Dobross, Dobcross School, Saddleworth School, Churchill, and there are more. But only one track.
“Is Councillor McCann mooting his own ideas or is he trying to find out what we actually want? it looked pretty clear to me. There was a silly scenario of pitching football and rugby against running. How ridiculous - sport is sport - keeping fit is keeping fit. The head of the Olympics in London by the way is a former runner and not a football player.
“On the ‘match funding’ element - our cash should be used in upgrading or moving the track - there is no reason to get rid of it at all. This idea of favouring one sport over another is plain silly, nonsense. Do footballers walk around the pitch? No. They run.”
Name and address supplied
Hear hear!
Councillor McCann also attempted to inject some “humour” during his speech at Tuesday’s meeting. When answering a suggestion to include facilities for disabled members of the community in the plans, he said “When i play football people say i’m disabled as i can’t kick the ball straight…”
Don’t give up the day job…on second thoughts, please do!
The ‘some other body’ Cllr McCann referred to was UK Athletics, the national governing body, not exactly an anonymous committee. If the runners can’t get the support of their own association they do appear to have a bit of a struggle on their hands. It was also pointed out that they were not consulted in the early stages because they were not registered users of the fields. If nobody knew they were there how could they be consulted? It would be interesting to know how much back rent they owe, it might pay for a new running track. But as the cheapest option is about £250,000 I suspect there will be quite a shortfall. The pitches will be paid for from money given by rugby and football bodies. The runners really would be better served if they direct the petitions that are being organised, not at Oldham Council as it is obviously strapped for cash and hasn’t a hope in hell of finding the money for a track, but at their own sporting bodies. And yes, footballers do run around the pitch, on grass - Something the runners might like to try.