The Bath Chronicle – Editorial Comment – 22 July 2005
A bold vision of wide-open space
The vision for the Recreation Ground in Bath unveiled today is indeed bold.
Big claims are being made for it, with the name of no less an architect than John Wood being banded about.
What is, of course, most spectacular is the huge open space in the heart of Bath that the vision would create should it get off the drawing board.
Is this area, the size of nine rugby pitches, enough to satisfy those who claim that Bath Rugby is hogging what should essentially be an open space for all to use all year round?
We hope so.
At the very least it should spike their very focal and carefully aimed guns.
Quite simply, Bath Rugby should remain in the heart of the city.
It is where it belongs and it is where it should be allowed to expand.
Prepared by business people, engineers and architects who have joined together under the title Bath Sport, these latest proposals not only provide a magnificent expanse of green space, they also tackle some other long-standing problems in the centre of our city.
As with most good ideas, this one is quite simple.
Knock down the concrete mess that is the existing leisure centre, the Hamptons stand and the Pavilion, and use that site to replace all three, plus provide Bath Rugby with the larger, state-of-the art stadium that it needs.
As a bonus, the vision also sees much-improved facilties for Bath Cricket Club across the road.
Bath being Bath, there will, no doubt, already be those putting pen to paper to condemn this proposal.
This is a shame.
What is also a shame is Bath Sport’s refusal to put a price tag on its vision.
Perhaps its members are wary because they can see how the spiralling costs of the spa development have helped tarnish its image as a prestige project.
There is also no mention of backers able to write some very big cheques to make this vision more than just a dream. Let’s hope there are some major players waiting in the wings.
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