IAN HART: Torrential rain can't dampen community spirit

And that was very much the case on Saturday when the annual Broadwater Carnival was well and truly blighted by a torrential downpour during the proceedings.

Extremely disappointing for the large crowd in attendance but even more so for the organisers.

An event like that just doesn’t happen on the day – months of careful and efficient planning by the carnival committee have effectively been washed away in a matter of minutes.

Thankfully it won’t dampen the commitment of the committee when it comes to start planning the 2018 event.

But there could be even more exciting news on the horizon soon.

In 2021 Broadwater Cricket Club will have been playing on the green for 250 years, the first recorded fixture being back in 1771 with a victory against Henfield Cricket Club.

A new cricket pavilion, to replace the nearly 60-year-old structure, has been long overdue, but talks have begun between the various interested parties to replace the existing building on the green with a two-storey building that provides a pavilion and a much-needed, state-of-the-art community centre.

Whilst discussions are very much in their infancy, as chairman of Broadwater CC, I’m buoyed by not only the support received from Worthing Borough Council regarding leasing issues and funding streams, but also by the receptive way the Broadwater Community Association have entered into the talks.

Does Broadwater need a new Cricket Pavilion and Community Centre? Definitely.

Will it happen? Well my initial thoughts will be that it won’t be for the want of trying.

And with everybody singing from the same hymn sheet and working together, it all points to exciting times ahead for Broadwater.

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