THE popular Burrs Activity Centre certainly lived up to its label at the weekend.

For apart from staging a range of sports, it was the venue for an official opening ceremony and cheque handover involving officials and the outgoing Bury mayor, Coun Trevor Holt.

And during the event, the mayor presented a plaque to the Bury Canoe and Kayak Club which has played a major role in the success of the venture.

The civic guest also took delivery of large cheque from The English Sports Council under its Lottery Sports Fund.

After Saturday's (May 10) opening ceremony, the mayor and guests inspected the new building which is the focal point of the new Country Park.

The area was formerly semi-derelict but it has now been transformed and the work has taken several years to complete.

Changed features at the site have included the demolition of an old, disused mill, the prepared site for a large water wheel, two car parks for the constant flow of visitors on the Manchester-Rawtenstall nature trail and a chimney restored for climbing practice and abseiling.

The building, now being regularly used by many schools in the area for practical instruction, combines a cafe which is open at weekends for the public, a large function room, overnight accommodation and catering facilities for sports organisations including showers, changing rooms and equipment storage. There is also an indoor climbing wall.

Outdoors at Burrs there is a safe training pool for novice canoeists and a canoe polo area which is floodlit and available for use all year round. The feeder canal, which not many years ago was choked with weeds, is now again navigable and the river has been modified to create rapids and exciting conditions.

At the official opening ceremony, Bury's mayor received a cheque for £183,820, presented by a representative from The English Sports Council, from the National Lottery Fund.

The site costs have exceeded £2 million, all of which has come from outside bodies. These have included derelict land grants and other funds from the now defunct Greater Manchester Council, the EU and Mersey Basin Campaign.

Much of the scheme originated from proposals put forward 27 years ago by Edgar Whewell of the British Canoe Union, and now president of Bury Canoe and Kayak Club.

The club manages the Burrs Country Park on behalf of Bury Council.

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