AN APPEAL for public feedback was this week issued as part of a proposal to build a ?trim trail? in Tavistock?s Meadows. The £17,000 trail idea has been spearheaded by town councillor Chris Jenkins. It would involve the installation of ten pieces of outdoor fitness equipment in various positions in the park, enabling people to circuit the area using the equipment in turn and in accordance with their health and fitness. The town council is hoping the idea could attract a grant from West Devon Borough Council, using funds the authority has received through Section 106 planning agreements. Cllr Jenkins last week told the town?s properties committee he had already submitted a brief proposal to the borough, which he said was interested in the idea, but wanted more information. Cllr Jenkins said: ?Questions they have raised include is there a genuine need from the public for one of these? They are also interested to know what the useage would be from people like the football clubs, the athletics club etc. ?They also want to know about the impact on the views in the Meadows, whether the equipment would be an attraction for vandals and whether there would be funding from the town council towards the costs.? Cllr Jenkins said he would be liaising with the police to see what they thought about the likelihood of the equipment being vandalised. He would also contact representatives from sports clubs in the area to see if their members would be interested in the trail ? but said he really needed more feedback from the public about the scheme. Cllr David Best asked if the trim trail in Plymouth?s Central Park was well used. Works superintendent Wayne Southall said the city park?s trail was not particularly well used ? but he felt that was probably due to incorrect siting of the equipment. He also felt the type of equipment he had sourced for the Tavistock trim trail was ?quite solid stuff? and would not be particularly attractive to vandals. ?The bits of kit we are looking at are all metal and there?s very little that could be done with it,? he said. Cllr Brian Trew said it would be very difficult to know what useage of the trail would be until it was actually in situ. Town mayor Anne Johnson said: ?I think it?s excellent to be asking people like the athletics club ? they will have a real feel as to how popular it could be ? they may even be able to make it part of their training circuits.? Town clerk Roger Howard confirmed that the town council itself had already set aside some funding for the trim trail. Any member of the public or representatives from sports clubs who are interested in finding out more about the trim trail, or who could offer a view about how popular such a facility could be, should contact Tavistock Town Council on 01822 613529 or Cllr Chris Jenkins by email at [email protected]">[email protected]
