Kirkby Times has reported a number of times on St Kevs field, a much loved and fondly remembered school field/public open space, which was much used by the local community and of course the schools until it was sold off on the sly by the devious Knowsley Council. St Kevs was sold off along with other fields such as Brookfield, All Saints (formerly the all girl St Gregs) and many others lined up. We also noted in a recent news article that an 'all weather playing surface' on St Kevs was looking pretty waterlogged, or 'soggy' and it had taken almost a year to carry out the work. There has been much work of late on the 'astro turf pitch', but a small section still retains water and it is not open to the public.
Sports Minister claims "Youngsters don't want soggy school fields"
Now, we hear that new labours sports minister Richard Caborn, a man who looks like jogging or even playing chess too fast would kill him in 5 minutes, inform us all that "Youngsters don't want their soggy school field". Cheeky tw**. Here in Kirkby the youngsters will end up with a concreted over school field, and the new super hi tech all weather playing surfaces will likely end up having an admission charge, bet you're your life Knowsley Council will try and charge us to use the limited playing areas left soon. Caborn claims the pitches will be open 7 days a week and have floodlights. Who will be in charge of the pitch we ask? And will local residents who are right on top of the new pitch be happy that floodlights and the noise of a few dozen lads, is part of the deal. Have Knowsley Council actually chosen this plot carefully and consulted the residents nearby, which includes an old peoples nursing home?
Kirkby's All Weather Pitches circa 1960's/70's
Locals may recall that St Kevs had an 'all weather surface' in the form of a tar-macced area just by the front of the houses built for 10 years or so now. The goals were small five a side sized and metal and a couple are still there today. The area was by the notorious 'bike sheds' in St Kevs school. This all weather surface lasted for years, you can still see it now, although the grass and weeds have grown through in parts. This playing area was used by many of us as kids, I cannot recall whether it was floodlit, but there was a floodlit playing area by All Saints and also a playing surface by Quarry Green Heights plus the Centre 63 pitch. Strange how new labour now can jump in with old ideas and dress them up as new. But when a party has no ideas, it needs to steal a few or recycle old ones.
St Kevs had good drainage.
The land in Kirkby is, or was noted for its agricultural value. This meant that a lot a lot of land was suitable for farming and one of the qualities was 'good drainage' which is essential for any farming area such as Kirkby. St Kevs field had a few spots which may get soggy, but most of the playing surface drained well and was perfectly suitable for sports. Locals will recall that St Kevs was used by a variety of football teams and even rugby teams, with a running track, long jump facilities and basically any track or field event. New labours idiot Sports minister can rest assured that there are football league grounds which are more soggy than some of our school fields. Does the minister assume that every field in every sports event is
Below, look at the ariel photo of the soggy artificial playing surface compared to St Kevs field!
Ruffwood School all weather pitches.
Knowsley Council, prompted by new labours plan to sell off 213 school fields since 1998, allowed a massive slice of St Kevs to be allowed for housing, ( more photos soon) then more of it to be fenced off like some prison for the all weather playing surface, of which there already a number of in Westvale in the Sports Stadium. The soggy school field didn't put off the firm who bought the land, making a massive overnight profit for themselves. Now, part of the old St Kevs field is being turned into another all weather playing surface, Richard Caborn tells us that these are 'state of the art, artificial pitches, astro turf' He also claims they will be 'floodlit' and 'open 7 days a week'. However, Ruffwood Schools fenced off all weather pitches, apparently complete, are closed when the school closes and have been closed throughout the school summer holidays.
As noted by Kirkby Times, the actual field on which the 'astro turf' pitch is being built on St Kevs, (right next to the existing houses built on St Kevs) was a perfectly decent field. Part of it we may recall was also an area of natural beauty with bushes and trees and such like. Kirkby today is becoming a concreted fenced off exclusion zone.
Northwood SRB All Weather Pitch
Readers may recall that Northwood House pen pushers delivered leaflets asking for views on building an all weather pitch at the site of the former Sacred heart Church, which has been left lying derelict since the Church was demolished. The idea for an 'all weather pitch' was stolen by the pen pushers and management off a local man who first suggested the idea years ago. However, since the leaflets asking for views, we hear no more, and of course the rumours of money running out are gathering pace.
L.F.C rubbing Salt in the Wound
Just to rub salt in our wounds, as the new 'all weather astro turf' pitch is being built on St Kevs, Liverpool FC Academies pitches are open for business, the grass IS definitely greener on the other side of the fence which may measure a mile in circumference and about 10 foot in height with spikes on the top and a nice screen of trees. The community itself was short changed to the tune of £50M in selling this prime land. Liverpool FC's various workers read this website, any worker is welcome here, we have no grudge with the people working in the Academy, just Liverpool FC management and directors who know full well that they have LET DOWN the people of Kirkby and treated us like idiots. This is not too difficult because Liverpool FC will see our councillors as our representatives and therefore assume that we are idiots also.
