A new community sports and wellbeing pavilion in Truro has reached a key milestone.

Work on the exterior of the Boscawen Park Pavilion is nearing completion following parts of the scaffolding being removed.

Truro mayor Chris Wells and Town Deal chairman Alan Stanhope visited the site to view the larch wood cladding and receive an update on the next stage of the project.

They were joined by representatives of the project team, including contractor Fox Construction Solutions and project managers from Ward Williams Associates, and officers from Truro City Council.

The construction of the Boscawen Park Pavilion, is being led by Truro City Council and forms part of the wider £5.2-million project to improve the facilities at Boscawen Park which is funded by Truro Town Deal with support from Cornwall Council, will provide modern, inclusive facilities designed to help people of all ages and abilities stay active.

The wider Boscawen Park Project also includes extending and resurfacing the pétanque pitch, resurfacing the riverside walk, installing new fencing on the riverside of the park and installing new drainage and reseeding the playing fields.

Work on the final stage of the project is due take place later in the year, which involves dredging the duck pond.

The works will focus on completing the fitting out the interior of the building once the final areas of scaffolding have been removed from the exterior.

The project is due to be completed, and the finished building formally handed over to Truro City Council, at the end of June.

The Pavilion is due to officially open to the public at the beginning of August.

Cllr Wells said: “It is tremendous to see the progress that's been made since the topping out ceremony in December.

“We are now looking forward to the community being able to use this building when it opens in the summer. It’s great to see the scaffolding being removed to reveal the wooden cladding, with work already taking place on the inside of the building.

“The Pavilion is going to be a brilliant facility for Truro. It has long been an aim of the City Council to have something that will increase the facilities for sport and the local community here at Boscawen Park.

“We are already taking bookings from interested community groups, and we look forward to other sports groups, and anybody else interested in using this facility getting in touch with us.”

Alan Stanhope, chair of Truro Town Deal, said: “Seeing the scaffolding come down at Boscawen Park Sports Hub is a visual milestone. It brings the project into full view and highlights the positive impact this investment is having on the city and its public spaces.

“When the Town Deal programme was launched, we asked the people who live and work in Truro what they would like to see. This project was top of the list and I am delighted to see it being delivered. This is a legacy for Truro and I hope the local community enjoy using it.”

The Pavilion is designed to support health, wellbeing and physical activity for people of all ages and abilities.

The timber framed building will provide modern flexible indoor and outdoor spaces for sports clubs, community groups, instructors and individuals, alongside welcoming social and support areas.

Activities on offer will include badminton, pickleball, table tennis, basketball, volleyball, and indoor tennis, alongside fitness classes, wellbeing sessions, workshops and community-led programmes.

Pay and Play sessions will also be available, making it easy for residents and visitors to access sport and activity on a flexible basis.

The Pavilion will also provide a unique venue within Boscawen Park for meetings and events, helping to support the long-term sustainability of the facility while maximising its benefit to the wider community.

Local organisations, clubs and activity providers interested in using the facility for sport, classes, community activities, Pay and Play sessions, events or corporate bookings are being invited to contact the project team ahead of its opening.

Early engagement will help shape the programme of activities and ensure the Pavilion meets the needs of the community.

Contractors Fox Construction Solutions are delighted at the progress which has been made over the past four months despite the appalling weather.

Site manager Simon McMahon said: “We have had up to 25 people working on site every day since December.

“All the ceilings are finished, and the doors and windows have gone in, with the scaffolding now removed from the interior of the building. The plastering has been completed in the sports hall, the stairs up to the upper floor are finished, and the upper rooms are now being plastered and decorated.

Once the final work has been completed on the roof in the next few weeks, the remainder of the exterior scaffolding will be removed.

Mr McMahon added: “This has been a lovely project to work on.

“As well as the amazing view from every window, we enjoy talking to the people who walk by the site every day.

“We have had regular chats with the people using the pétanque pitch who have challenged us to a “bowl-off” at the end of the project.”

Kevin Bate, the director at Fox Construction Solutions, said: “As a local company with offices just five miles away at Perran Foundry, we are very proud to be involved with this project, and we look forward to providing a high-quality facility for the local community.”

“The team are doing a great job of co-ordinating the build and we have been fully supported by supply chain and local suppliers during the appalling weather conditions over the past four months, which has made our life easier.”

Truro Town Deal Board, in partnership with Cornwall Council, successfully bid for a Town Deal worth £23.6-million to support a range of projects that will contribute to the city’s regeneration and boost the local economy.

Cornwall Council is the lead authority for Cornwall Town Deals and supports the governance role of the Truro Town Deal Board and administrates the fund.