Construction work on a new £851,000 community pavilion has got underway in Wisbech Park.

Local councillors joined officers from Fenland District Council and the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority, alongside contractors Probus, to celebrate breaking ground on the £851,000 construction phase of the project.

The project will see a new pavilion building with facilities for events, such as community meetings, workshops, or small-scale performances, space for a potential café or pop-up café, and accessible toilets.

It is hoped the new facility will be ready to open in early 2024.

Cllr Peter Murphy, Fenland District Council’s portfolio holder for environment, said: “We are delighted that building work on this new pavilion has now begun as it will further enhance the park’s amenities and will be an excellent facility for both Wisbech residents and visitors and the whole of Fenland.

“Wisbech Park is an important asset for the district and therefore we’re committed to making it as good as it can be for the local community with a new Splashpad last year, championed by local councillors, and recent investment in planting new trees.

“An exciting play area makeover is starting this month too and scheduled to be ready before the summer holidays.

“We’ve worked hard to secure sizeable grants and investment from partners to make this project happen and we’re determined to retain the benefits for the people of Wisbech.”

Cllr Samantha Hoy, a town, district and county councillor for Wisbech, added: “This new community pavilion will serve as a focal point within Wisbech Park, offering a vibrant space for people to relax, socialise, and enjoy the park’s surroundings.

“It represents a significant investment in the park and the community it serves, and it’s exciting to see it take shape.”

The project has been made possible thanks to funding from Cambridgeshire County Council’s Communities Capital Fund, the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Combined Authority’s Market Towns Programme, the Government’s Changing Places initiative and Fenland District Council.

Mayor of Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, Dr Nik Johnson, said: “The Combined Authority is all about investing in people, their lives, and their community.

“Good recreation goes hand in hand with being healthy and happy, so this pavilion, in the green heart of Wisbech, will be a wonderful resource, not just for the town, but for all Fenland.

“The nearby Splashpad that we funded is already a huge hit with families and a draw for visitors and the new hub, welcoming people of all ages and abilities, will be fantastic too – taking its place in Wisbech life alongside the many historic attractions of this park.”

Cllr Tom Sanderson, chair of the communities, social mobility and inclusion committee at Cambridgeshire County Council, said: “I’m pleased our Communities Capital Fund has enabled this new community pavilion in Wisbech to be built. I hope the residents and visitors of Wisbech enjoy the new facility.”

The pavilion will replace the aged existing toilets at the park and will include a new, state-of-the-art accessible ‘changing places’ toilet, which are designed to support the needs of all people with disabilities.