Lowestoft Town Council
At the Meeting of the Full Council on Tuesday 25th October, Lowestoft Town Council voted to continue to provide its Sports and Leisure Facilities for free into the 2023/2024 Financial Year.
This decision recognises the importance of having access to free sport and leisure activities for people's health and welbeing, especially during the current cost of living crisis.
Residents and Visitors are welcome to use Lowestoft Town Council owned facilities without the need to book in advance. This includes the tennis courts at Kensington Gardens, Normanston Park and Denes Oval, and the putting green at Denes Oval. If you have any issues with the facilities, please talk to the onsite Norse Ground Staff.
On Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th October Lowestoft Town Hall will be open for it’s first ‘Town Hall Take Over’ as part of the Lowestoft Town Hall redevelopment project.
New hoarding designs created by young people from YMCA Trinity youth group will be unveiled on the Mariner Street window hoardings. The young people have been working in collaboration with local Graffiti artist Stane, and Lowestoft Cultural Education Partnership to create designs inspired by Lowestoft’s history.
The Town Hall building will be open from 10am -3pm on Saturday 29th and Sunday 30th October 10am-2.30pm for people to view the Council chamber. There will also be an opportunity to view displays about the history of the Town Hall site and local industries and the progress of the Town Hall’s redevelopment project.
The redevelopment project will transform the building into a multi functioning building which will become the home of Lowestoft Town Council and an inclusive centre for the community and visitors. Lowestoft Town Council has been awarded a development grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund to progress its plans to a delivery stage application and deliver a pilot heritage activity programme to provide opportunities for local people to get involved, learn new skills and find out more about Lowestoft’s history. The project is also supported by the Towns Fund, the Architectural Heritage Fund, Historic England and East Suffolk Council.
On both days the ‘Memories bike’ will be moored and ready to deliver fun, heritage inspired activities such as making stained glass windows using waste plastic, badge making, and Museum object handling.
There will also be evocative postcards with images from the Jack Rose collection to prompt people’s memories of the Town Hall and local industries. These will be used as inspiration for a new video poem created and produced by Poetry People.
Local Historian David Butcher will talk on the history of the Town Hall site from 2.30pm-3.30pm Sunday 30th October. Free Tickets are available via Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/430372424507
If you can’t make it to this ‘Town Hall Take Over’ you can explore the Town Hall virtually through this Virtual Tour developed by Hugh Davies Exterior - SeekBeak You’ll be able to see places in the Town Hall that you can’t normally visit, ring the Town Hall bell, find out more about the history of the building. Over the coming months, it’ll be the go-to place to find out updates about the Town Hall refurbishment project. It will also act as a virtual heritage hub with changing exhibitions which tell the story of Lowestoft and link to the many museums and heritage organisations in the Town.
Read more on Young people and community Take Over the Town Hall!
Ahead of planned play area refurbishments, the play area at Bentley Drive has been closed. Please keep an eye on Lowestoft Town Council's website and social media for future updates on the plans and when work will begin.
The swings at Pakefield Green have also been removed ahead of a future refurbishments.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact Lowestoft Town Council.
Read more on Play Area Closures - Bentley Drive and Pakefield Green
This week is #RecyclingWeek2022 and the theme is #LetsGetReal.
Recycling is one of the simplest things we can all do to help our environment by cutting down on waste, but knowing what you can and cannot recycle is just as important.
This week we'll be highlighting some of the things to be aware of so that we can all be better recyclers, and we'll be sharing what happens to your recycling after you have put it in the blue bin.
More information on recycling can be found on our recycling page.
Lowestoft Town Council have agreed to progress works on the Gainsborough Drive Pond, working with GT Rochester Plant Ltd.
To help answer any questions you might have on what works will be taking place, when they will happen and for how long, Lowestoft Town Council have created this helpful information leaflet.
If you would like to find out more details, or ask any questions, a Zoom call has been arranged for Wednesday 12th October at 2pm. If you would like to join this meeting, please contact us at admin@lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk to receive the meeting link.
Alternatively, you are welcome to email us or phone us with any queries you have.
Photo of Gainsborough Drive Pond taken in September 2022
Work on a new play area at Sparrows Nest is set to begin this week. The new play area will expand and replace the existing play area with an 'Alice in Wonderland' theme running through the park.
The new equipment will include two separate multi-play units, swings, spinner 3-way seesaw and "funrun".
Please keep an eye on our social media and website for the latest updates.
The plans for the new 'Alice in Wonderland' play area at Sparrows Nest
Read more on Work on new play area at Sparrows Nest to begin
Thursday 13th October, 6pm
Gunton Estate Residents' Meeting Hall,
Hollingsworth Road, Lowestoft
Lowestoft Town Council is working with Gunton Estate Residents’ Meeting Hall users to create a new management committee. The Hall is currently home to a range of community activities such as bingo, dancing, youth group meetings and it is also available to be hired for private functions.
All of this is only possible with a team of volunteers behind the scenes committed to making the hall the best place it can be for local people. If you are interested in being involved in maintaining and improving this hall as a thriving and friendly centre for the local community of Gunton please come along to our meeting on Thursday 13th October at 6pm.
For more details please contact Lowestoft Town Council on 0330 053 6019 or email admin@lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk
Read more on Gunton Estate Residents' Meeting Hall Public Meeting
Lowestoft Town Council are proud to be launching a writing competition for Black History Month 2022. The competition is open to all young people who live in or attend school in Lowestoft with different age categories.
Competition Categories:
Prizes:
Prizes for each category include signed merchandise from Lowestoft's own Olympic Medalist Anthony Ogogo and book tokens. A new annual trophy will also be awarded to the winning School. Prizes will be presented at 5pm on Friday 28th October at Lowestoft Library.
Application Deadline:
Entries by email to admin@lowestofttowncouncil.gov.uk. Closing deadline for submissions: 5pm on Friday 14th October All valid entries will be displayed in Lowestoft Library.
Terms & Conditions:
1. The competition is open to all children who either a) attend a school within the Lowestoft area or, b) live within the Lowestoft Town Council parish area.
2. The judging panel will be formed from a selection of Town Councillor and representatives of external bodies.
3. The judges' decision will be final.
4. The Town Council reserves the right not to consider any applications felt inappropriate or which do not meet the criteria set out above.
Read more on Visit the Town Hall virtually - and find out about the regeneration project!
