Les Ferdinand Opens Hammersmith Park's New Football Facility

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Five-a-side centre includes free pitches for use by White City residents

A community event featuring a five-a-side tournament was held on Sunday March 13 to mark the long-awaited opening of the PlayFootball centre in White City.

As well as an official ribbon-cutting with Ferdinand and Mayor of Hammersmith & Fulham, Cllr Mercy Umeh, representatives from QPR FC were on hand to help out with fun activities including a speed-shot station and football tennis.

The new publicly-owned community football facility is the first dedicated ‘3G’ turf five-a-side football centre in H&F.

The new facility includes a ten pitch football centre, club house with changing facilities, a new café and toilets available to casual park users and a large number of cycle racks.

"We are delighted that this great facility is now open," said Cllr Guy Vincent, H&F Council’s Lead Member for Contracts.

" We hope the residents can make the most of these superb pitches and who knows, maybe they will help us produce the first White City Messi."

The five-a-side competition featured teams from Trapstar FC, Shepherds Bush Utd, One Brotherhood, Al Ansur FC, Kokhob FC as well as teams of White City Residents in under 10s, under 12s, under 14s and adult categories.

PlayFootball agreed with the council a seven-year management contract of the sports centre in place of the previous 35-year lease.

As part of the new deal, the council negotiated free access to three of the pitches for residents with low incomes living close to the centre, as well as a limited parking area and reduced operating hours.

To check if you are eligible for free access, pick up a flyer from White City Community Centre, Wood Lane Community Centre or check online.

The revised plan for the new facility in Hammersmith Park was announced in the autumn after the council consulted concerned residents over its future.

The deal was a personal triumph for local resident, writer and journalist Virginia Ironside who campaigned for changes to the original plans.

Describing the result as ‘absolutely brilliant’, Loftus Road resident Virginia said: " It really is a case of the council working really hard with the community - without both the community and the council nothing would have happened.

"We’re just so lucky the council came in at that moment or the park could have been virtually given away to a private company.

" The whole park is now back in the hands of the council, and therefore the people for whom it was intended in the first place so we couldn’t be more pleased."

Future plans for Hammersmith Park also include re-installation and upgrade of the tennis courts, playground and outdoor gym.

March 21, 2016