Plans for a 'true community hub' at Les Creux

The person behind a successful bid to takeover Les Creux pavilion in St Brelade says she hopes it will be in use by local groups in as soon as eight weeks' time.

Jennifer Heald wants the site to be a "true community hub" for sport and activities, whilst also being home to a nursery.

She described the need for family facilities in the west of the island as "absolutely essential" and said a forum for ideas would also be established to encourage residents to shape the site's future.

Heald said elements of her proposal had been "dedicated specifically to people's concerns" and the response so far has been "incredibly positive".

Earlier this week, Les Creux Community Hub and Nursery was designated as the preferred bidder for the pavilion by Infrastructure Minister, Andy Jehan.

He said he was "encouraged by the excellent potential for it to become a focal point for the community engagement".

It comes after a previously successful bid by the Jersey Community Land Trust was withdrawn.

Heald said the aim was to "maximise community involvement and maximise community use" of Les Creux.

"We're hoping to get as many sports in as possible. The focus is very specifically community sports rather than competitive."

This will see the far bowling green converted to be used by "as many groups as possible over the first year to see what people are using it for the most... and then develop the sports offering as that kind of organically grows".

The plan also includes a nursery with Heald saying there was a need for "specific children and family things, particularly in the west".

She said she hoped to address a "lack of available childcare" in the island with the new offering.

"It's really important to Jersey that we have young families stay on the island and hopefully attract some more to come in to bolster up the economy, so I think it's a really essential part of this proposal," Heald said.

Beyond that, she said there would be a forum established for "people to bring in their own ideas" for the pavilion.

Her hope is once the keys are handed over, "eight to 12 weeks would be a good estimate for getting it initially used".

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