FROME Town Council will this month take over the land at the Old Showfield after years of discussions over how to use the space.
The transfer of the 20-acre site behind the medical centre is expected to be completed by the end of this month.
The town council will then start on its plans to make the fields available for public recreation, using funds donated as a condition of the building of Frome Medical Centre.
The council’s vision is that the fields remain an open space for local people to use, and improvements could include planting trees, fencing off a play area and improving pathways.
Frome town clerk Paul Wynne said, “At last! Frome Town Council has now bought the Old Showfield and, after making sure that the plans we made a year or more ago are still what people want, we can get on with making the improvements.
“One thing isn’t negotiable; we will be putting in a series of adult fitness equipment. The plan is to get the doctors at the medical practice to prescribe specific activities to patients, and we’ll work the scheme up with the medical practice and in particular, Jenny Hartnoll’s Health and Well-Being project, that is based there.
“Thanks to councillors and staff at the Frome and Mendip councils, and our colleagues at the Agricultural Society for sticking with this; the result is a good one for the town.
“Thanks, too, to Frome Recreational Open Ground Supporters (FROGS) for raising the importance of this site to the town via their Village Green application.
“The end game is that the Old Showfield will now be managed by the community for the community.”
Anyone who wants to get involved with the Showfield project can contact Chris Stringer at Frome Town Council on 01373 465757.
