THE champagne corks popped in Okehampton?s Simmons Park last week, following the announcement that a massive Lottery grant of more than £3.2-million has been awarded to build a new sports centre in the town.
And there are hopes the new centre will bring a big boost to talented sportsmen, women and children in West Devon.
The Parklands Sports Centre, which will cost a total of £4.2-million, will include a new 25-metre four lane swimming pool, a competition sports hall and separate fitness and aerobics studios. New floodlit tennis courts will also be constructed.
Cllr Nick Morgan, chairman of the council?s economic, leisure and community development committee, said the new centre would be ?fantastic? for Okehampton, set as it was in a beautiful parkland area.
Cllr Morgan, a former international athlete who threw the shot for Great Britain, said: ?I know from my own personal experience how important such facilities are, as I was able to use similar amenities to enable me to go on and represent my country.?
Cllr Morgan said he hoped the type of facilities offered by the new centre would encourage top class coaches to come to the area.
?It is my hope the young people of West Devon make use of our facilities and perhaps it will lead to some of them being able to obtain the highest honour in sport in representing their country.?
Paul Chastey, captain of Okehampton Tennis Club, said the floodlit courts could be the start a new era for the club.
?We?ve been in limbo for the past five years, but we are really grateful to everyone involved for bringing this to fruition. We?ve only been re-established for six years but we really want to encourage the youth of the town and make sure there is a future for our sport.?
The scheme is the biggest ever undertaken by West Devon Borough Council.
The borough?s deputy chief executive, David Inman, said: ?We have already been out to tender and Kier, who are on the college site already, will be building the centre. We hope they will be starting late March or early April.?
Mr Inman said attracting such a huge Lottery grant was ?superb news?.
He said: ?We must thank the officers of Sport England, particularly the case officer who was very helpful all the way through and also community organisations and individuals who have attended so many meetings ? it?s been a long time coming. You don?t get £3.2 million grants without a lot of very hard work.?
Mr Inman also paid tribute to architect Stephen Rickhards and to Okehampton College and town council.
?We mustn?t forget it?s their land and without their lease the whole scheme wouldn?t be possible,? he said.
Okehampton borough councillor Jayne Hill thanked the council officers who worked so long to bring the project to the town.
?They have been working on this for years now and we should give praise where praise is due,? she said.
The Parklands Sports Centre is due to open in June 2004.