Work Started on Bury CC's New Pavilion

Work progresses on Bury CC's new pavilion

Members of Bury CC are hoping that 2013 will mark an exciting new stage in the development of their club with the completion of a new pavilion and their senior teams playing their first matches in the Bolton Association.

Excavations preparatory to the building of the new clubhouse began on November 28th and Bury chairman Mark Smith is optimistic that the work will be completed by April 20th when Bury host Astley and Tyldesley in the first league match of the new season.

"It's a tight time-scale but we're hopeful we can keep to it," said Smith, who has only been in post for a couple of years but has already provided two of the things on his members' wish list.

"Bury CC is a part of Bury Sports Club and one of the things our members wanted me to do was explore the possibility of entering a new league," he explained. "Another was the provision of their own home for senior and junior cricket. So the new facility will have changing rooms, showers, a kitchen, a committee room and a viewing area for scorers.

"However, it's important to stress that the sports club has been very supportive of us in our work and we will remain supportive in return. There has been absolutely no disharmony between us and we couldn't have built this new pavilion without the sports club's permission. They will own it even though they are not funding it."

Meeting the £100,000 cost of the pavilion has been met by Bury members who have packed bags, held golf days and Old Players' Dinners and dipped into their own pockets to fund the new building. Unusually, the club has received no external grants.

"We're a town cricket club and one of the things that's happened recently is that we have been able to bring former members back into the club," said Smith, whose next objective is to provide covered nets to assist Bury's team of coaches as they work with the 150-plus youngsters who turn up each week to develop their cricket skills.

Written by: Paul Edwards

The club are hosting a Golf Day to help their fundraising efforts for this exciting project and if anyone is interested in taking part further details can be found at: Bury CC Golf Day.

Find images on the right in "Image gallery" of progress of the new pavilion building work.