HISTORY

The purchase of the agricultural field in Puttock Gate, Fosdyke, for use as a playing field for Fosdyke was completed in November 1981. The field was levelled and seeded immediately with its first use being in the late summer of 1982. A small portakabin was purchase during 1982 for use as a changing room with the installation of a toilet within it, water supply, septic tank and the car park installed during 1983.

The purchase price of the land was £14,000 with the seeding, portakabin, toilets, septic tank and water supply cost a further £2,000. Grant aid to a total of £14,000 was obtained from the Sports Council, Boston Borough Council and Lincolnshire County Council with the balance of £2,000 coming from the playing field committee. Considerable advice, help and support was provided by the then cheif executive of the borough council during the three -year gestation period of this project.

The first play equipment was installed during 1984-85. This consisted of swings, a see saw and play pipe. During 1986 the installation of land drains was carried out at a cost of £1,600.

In 1988 it was agreed that the Goodfellowship Bowls Club would relocate to Fosdyke Playing Field. A area of land at the far end of the playing field was fenced, hedges planted and a green laid. This bowls club is now recognised as one of the best in the area and is a credit to the bowls club and the playing field.

In September 1990 a second-hand sectional building was purchased for use as the playing field pavilion. The foundations for this was installed in early 1991, with the erection of the pavilion following in March and a new roof in April. Work progressed during 1991, 1992 and 1993 with, where possible, the work being carried out by committee members so that material-only costs were incurred. The pavilion contained a club room, toilets and two changing rooms which replaced the original portakabin. The work was partially financed with an interest-free loan of £5,000, repayable over a ten-year period, from Boston Borough Council, but the vast majority of the expenditure was raised by the playing field committee. The changing rooms came into use for the 1994-95 season with the social club opening in February 1995. The success of the social club encouraged the playing field committee to purchase a large portakabin in 1996 for conversion to changing rooms to allow the extension of the club room into the original changing rooms.

During the 1990’s additions were added to the play equipment. A second hand slide was purchased and erected, springy toys and small swings for toddlers. A limiting factor on the development of the play area was the location of the septic tank, in the centre of the play area. In 1998 the decidion was taken to relocate the septic tank. This also necessitated the relocation of the toilets and the opportinity was taken to povide separate toilets for the football teams and a disabled toilet in the social club. This building work was all financed from the playing field’s own resources. During 2000 a project to construct an entrance porch with full disabled access to the social club was commenced. This was financed by a £1,000 grant from Lincolnshire Country Council Rural Community Projects Fund and a £750 grant from the Boston Borough Council Community Development Fund with the balance from the playing field committee.