COLOURFUL clay tiles made by students at Okehampton College will be a permanent feature of the town?s new £4.2-million Parklands Sports Centre, which is due to open later this year.
In a project initiated and funded by West Devon Borough Council, Year 8 students at the college took part in a one-day art workshop to make the special tiles, which will be a focal point in many areas of the new building.
During the workshop, led by community artist Mandy Mills, the youngsters collected fallen leaves, twigs and feathers from the town?s Simmons Park, just yards from where the new centre is being built.
Back in the classroom, the youngsters ? using inks to tie in with the colour scheme of the centre ? created delicate imprints of the materials on to slabs of clay to make the tiles.
Cllr Jayne Hill, vice-chair of the council?s economic, leisure and community development committee, said: ?The tiles link the sports centre with the college and the natural environment, and are a brilliant example of how public art can be used to bring a sense of ownership of a new development to the local community.
?It is so important that the young people of the town play as strong a role as possible in a development such as this, and the tiles will be a permanent reminder for them in years to come.?
Eleanor Butland, West Devon Borough Council?s arts officer, said: ? The students gained a great deal from the workshops and it was a great opportunity for them to be involved in the sports centre development by creating such wonderful individual tiles.?
The sports centre project is led by West Devon Borough Council and is one of the largest developments ever undertaken by the authority.
Partially financed by a £3.2-million grant from the Sports Lottery, the centre will have a 25- metre (four-lane) traditional swimming pool, a competition sports hall and separate fitness and aerobic studios. New floodlit tennis courts will also be built.
It is due to be completed by mid-September.