Doing it for the kids
I AM fully aware that in order for us all to live in the kind of town we want, there has to be a degree of flexibility.
But I'm really having trouble seeing both sides of an ongoing dispute concerning football being played at the Glynn Owen Centre in South Farm Road, Worthing.
Before I go any further, I have to declare an interest in the fact that I am a governor at Worthing High School, which in turn owns the said Astro turf football pitch at the Glynn Owen, which is used throughout the school day for sport before being rented out after school hours to predominantly Worthing Town Youth FC, one of the borough's largest football organisations.
But it appears that not everybody would like to see the youngsters of the town playing football on this state-of-the-art playing surface.
Now, as I said at the outset, I understand there has to be a degree of flexibility, but I'm nearly 46, and I can always remember there being a football pitch on that site.
In fact, I believe it was the original HQ of Southdown United before they merged with Wigmore Athletic to form Worthing United nearly 25 years ago.
So, unless a number of the residents have lived in their houses for more than 40 years, the allegation that they have never been consulted about the provision of football facilities doesn't hold that much weight.
My stance is simple – I will always maintain that the only way this town has a long-term future as a nice place to live is by investing in the youth of the borough.
Part of this investment concerns sporting and leisure facilities.
If we don't give youngsters the chance to play sport and take part in other organised activities, we're all but giving up on them.
Please remember that less than three years ago, 500 metres away from the said football pitch, "bored" local youngsters vandalised graves in a local cemetery.
Kids playing organised sport or smashing up graves?
Not rocket science, is it?
But I'm aware that despite me being passionate about this particular issue, it doesn't necessarily mean that it is the unilateral view of everyone, so I would like to invite any local resident who feels they have a legitmate grievance over this issue to contact me via this newspaper to put their point forward.
At the end of the day, for the sake of the youngsters and the residents, we have to find some common ground and a way forward.
Urban myths, don't you just love them?
Arrived at the George and Dragon in Tarring for the quiz last Wednesday to be told by a mate of mine that Raoul Moat, allegedly, worked as a doorman at Rutherfords around 10 years ago.
Rumours like this often spread like wildfire and it wasn't long before someone totally unconnected to my party came into the pub with the same snippet.
It wasn't until we all sat and analysed the situation that we worked out that there was indeed a northern bouncer working at the club a decade ago, who you could say looked a bit like Moat, in the same way that I'm often mistaken for Ronnie Corbett, and, as I understand, he no longer does door work but still lives in the town – but then again, never let the truth get in the way of a good story!
Ian Hart's comment is published in the Herald series every Thursday
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Weather for Worthing
Sunday 27 May 2012
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