THE long-awaited sports pavilion for Okehampton is close to becoming a reality as construction starts on the project this week.

The pavilion will be built in a central position between the town's all-weather pitch, rugby pitch, cricket square and tennis courts, with views across the entire playing field site.

It will provide changing rooms, toilets, storage space for sports clubs, a social area, and office space for sport and community development projects.

It will also act as a hub for town sporting events such as the annual Okehampton Sports Festival, and offer a viewing area for spectators.

Devon County Cllr Christine Marsh said: 'The pavilion will be a boost to all sports in the area and encourage people to get active and take part in sporting activity.

'It is another block in what we are building here in Okehampton to develop on the reputation it already has as a town with a great sporting status.

'It is a community project that is already engaging with the community. Volunteers have played a big role in getting us where we are now, and that is proving very important and very much appreciated.'

The pavilion project has become a true community project. On the pavilion site there was an old garage building used for storage by the college.

In the last few weeks, volunteers from Okehampton Round Table have helped with the demolition of the building and clearing of the site, as have the team from the Manor House Hotel, lending the use of their digger, Andy Ewen from Okehampton Glass and Mike Reynolds.

OCRA chairman David Carter said: 'The last few months have been extremely busy in getting the build started, and I thank everyone who has got involved.

'Over the next few weeks we will be looking to take forward the next stage to establish a management group to recommend how to involve all interested organisations and to come up with a robust business plan.

'It is fantastic to have reached this stage — the project started so long ago, with the all-weather pitches and the idea of the pavilion.

'Okehampton is a fantastic central location in the county, and we want this pavilion to mark out the town as a fantastic place for sport and attract people here.

'While we have the money in place to get the pavilion built, we need all the help we can get to kit it out as much as possible. Any support, financial or otherwise, would be much appreciated.'

The project has been shaped through the initial involvement of Peter Woodgate in 2008, and later in its design phase with Oxenham Consult.

The catalyst for the project was £600,000 of investment from Devon County Council through its Investing in Devon project back in 2008.

The bid was backed by county councillors Christine Marsh and James McInnes, and the grant also supported the all-weather pitch which opened in November 2009.

There have been a number of other donations to support the project, including a £200,000 grant from Okehampton United Charity earlier this year, and £50,000 from Sport England, donated from the Inspired Facilities fund, which is part of the £135-million Places People Play legacy programme linked to the 2012 London Olympics.

Delivered by Sport England in partnership with the British Olympic Association and British Paralympic Association, the programme is aiming to upgrade up to a thousand local sports clubs and facilities, invest in a number of multi-sport facilities like the Okehampton pavilion that set standards for future developments, and protect and improve hundreds of playing fields across the country.

The pavilion will carry the London 2012 Inspire mark, celebrating the link to the fund and the London Games.

The project is still looking for support from volunteers, and for financial support.

If you would like to help, or for more information, e-mail [email protected]">[email protected] or call OCRA on 01837 54546.