PEOPLE of Penzance came together on Sunday, July 6 to remember a true community champion.

The Melville Durrant Memorial and Community Day was held at Princess May Recreation Ground in Penzance, featuring an inflatable theme park, dog show, skate jam and an assortment of stalls.

For decades, Melville Durrant worked tirelessly to maintain and improve the ground, and, as a Penzance town councillor, was involved in the transfer of the site from Cornwall Council to Penzance Council. Tragically, Cllr Durrant died last year when he was involved in a collision involving two vehicles on the A30.

Remembering Melville at the opening of the Community Day on Sunday, Penzance Council town clerk James Hardy said: “We all miss Melville. I was lucky enough to call him a good friend.

“I worked with Melville back in 2001 when we did the first consultation and pulled the funding together to add all of this play equipment, build the skate park, build the office and all the facilities here.

“We also got the opportunity – just before his tragic passing – to celebrate the transfer of the ownership and management of the Rec back to the town council.

“Melville always had plans for this place, and today is the start of a conversation about what you want to see next in the Rec. Today is about celebrating the work that Melville did, but it’s also about continuing that work.

Princess May Recreation Ground transferred from Cornwall Council to Penzance Council in 2024, concluding the current phase of devolution. The large site is a well-used open green space, offering open spaces, a skate bowl, multi-use sports courts, and a children’s play area.

Organised by Princess May Recreation CIC, the Community Day was an opportunity to ask local residents what they want to see next for the site. Together with Penzance Council, the CIC are aiming to establish what the local community wants to see in terms of enhancements to the space in the future.

Nicky Mendham from Princess May Recreation CIC commented: "It has been a real privilege to be at the centre of bringing a community together. To me, the Princess May Recreation Ground reflects the diverse nature of Penzance, where people from all walks of life get to meet and enjoy time together.

“Thousands of volunteer hours have gone into making today happen but it's thanks to the involvement of a community that made it so special.

“With the ongoing support of Penzance Council, the directors and volunteers of the Princess May Recreation CIC aim to make events such as this a regular occurrence, and the feedback we've received will help to carve out that future.

“The Rec is at the heart of our community - when it’s nurtured, all of Penzance grows. The Community Day marks an important date in the calendar for taking positive steps, large and small, to spark new connections, shared learning and mutual support across generations.

“I want to say a huge thank you to our amazing volunteers, directors, traders, and generous sponsors, and every smiling face who showed up to support, help, and enjoy the day – you made it happen!"

Throughout the day, the popular Skate Park was the centre of the action, with a BMX demo and a Skate Jam showing off the potential of the concrete bowl. For those seeking less extreme sports, an inflatable theme park was keeping children entertained all afternoon.

However, despite all the fun, thoughts of Melville were never far from people’s minds.

Mayor of Penzance, Stephen Reynolds, said: “Melville was inimitable, he was a one off. He was probably the most genuine person that I have met in my time as a councillor, in terms of how he felt, how he spoke, and how he gave so generously. Together I hope and trust that we will build a legacy that will be worthy of the man we are commemorating here today.

Opening the proceedings in his usual deafening, yet insightful manner, Penzance town crier, Phil Northcott, summed it up perfectly: “As we all enjoy the fun events and spend time in this place with loved ones and friends, remember the power of one person with a passion and a dream. Not a dream for personal wealth or glory, but a dream to benefit our community.”