Wishes just may come true

The men's team won promotion to the National League for the first time in their history, while the women went up a division after winning all their fixtures.

The younger girls were also promoted and the boys finished second in their league.

However, Harriers will not be able to host any National League fixtures next season because the County Ground track only has six lanes around the bends, and they need eight.

They have no clubhouse, no stand and the changing and toilet facilities at the club are not of a sufficient standard.

They have a tin shed to change in and athletes have to walk 200 metres to use toilets in the County Ground stadium. There is no meeting room or any sort of indoor training facility.

Rectifying this is the top priority for Harriers officials.

Chairman Ian Larrard said: "An eight-lane track is a must. Our top priorities are the track, and building changing facilities in a clubhouse.

"At the moment, we have the shed, which people only use for taking spikes on and off. All our athletes come already changed.

"We use the toilets and changing facilities in the Lifestyle Centre in the football stadium. But if the County Ground were to go, that changing block would go and we would have nothing."

Mr Larrard is hoping that the council continues to be enthusiastic about promoting sport in Swindon.

"It's all about working with the council," he said. "It is very encouraging to be in meetings with the deputy leader of the council, working together with the three clubs."

Howard Moscrop, the World Veterans 400m hurdles champion and Harriers coach, has been campaigning for improvements at the club for years. He said: "Proper facilities would be more than just nice. They are necessary. We desperately need a pavilion and an eight-lane track.

"If we were to have a new track, I would be ecstatic. A 200m indoor track and sports hall would be out of this world. It would attract people from all over the area and transform the club.

"To be able to offer youngsters in Swindon an activity in an enclosed environment would be superb for them and superb for Swindon."

A new clubhouse is top of the County Ground Bowls Club's wish list. It would enable the club to be able to utilise their bowling green to the full and for the first time give them a premises big enough to entertain a touring team of six rinks.

The County Ground Bowls Club was founded in 1925. Their premises are owned by Swindon Council and they pay rent.

As it is a council-owned bowling green, the County Ground Club have to make available one rink to the public at all times.

The present clubhouse was built in the early 1970s and replaced the wooden hut that was used for changing facilities.

The club has a membership of approximately 90, which includes women, who were firstly welcomed into the club as full members in 1982.

"I thought the meeting was very positive and went very well, " said president Bernard Woodyear. "It is only probable at the moment but that is better than possible.

"We are a very happy and friendly club and grateful for the council's support. But we would most certainly welcome a much bigger clubhouse.

"We have a six rink green but there is not sufficient room in the clubhouse to host a six rink match. The changing facilites are cramped and there is a lack of toilet facilities.

"We can sit four rinks 32 players reasonably comfortably for tea. Five rinks would be a tight squeeze and six impossible.

"All we can do is make the best use of the premises we have at the moment and just hope and wait and see what transpires in the future."

Cricketeers at Swindon CC have long lived under the shadow of the town's popular football culture.

With Swindon seen more as a soccer-based town, the sound of leather on willow has never quite managed to compete with the roar from the County Ground.

They now hope development of cricket facilities in the town will give them a chance to raise the profile of the game and attract more interest from youngsters.

Chairman of Swindon CC, Alan Thomas attended the meeting with a wish-list of three main items.

A new purpose-built pavilion;

Extension of playing area to include a second pitch; and

To provide an indoor nets facility.

Founded in 1844, Swindon are the top side in the town with four teams competing in a wide range of divisions.

Mr Thomas was pleased to be involved with the meeting and hoped some of the ideas would come to fruition.

"The council asked us to provide a list of things our club would like in an ideal world," he said.

"It was a very positive meeting and lots of ideas were put forward that would improve sporting provision in Swindon for the future.

"We have got to start planning for the future and it is nice that the council has asked us to get involved and is seeking our opinions."

The club's pavilion is a Grade Two Listed building and, while comfortable and homely, is not big enough to host fund-raising functions or events.

They have only one cricket wicket which is used by the first and second teams, so that third and fourth elevens have to use pitches at Allied Dunbar in Wanborough.

The third part of their plan would be to provide some sort of indoor nets facility.

Ideas for this have ranged from a cricket academy to a joint centre of excellence with the Swindon Harriers Athletics Club.

"Our plans would certainly give cricket a major boost in Swindon," he said. "Swindon has always been seen as a football town and because Wiltshire plays in the minor county's league then the profile of cricket is not huge.

"A new pavilion with better playing and training facilities would boost the local profile and increase the chances of more youngsters taking up the sport.

"With sports in schools taking a back seat it is our job to provide the facilities for the children of Swindon. This council could soon have a huge chunk of money available and we can build facilities to be proud of."

Olympic Champion David Hemery has a vision for the future of Swindon athletics.

The 1968 400m hurdles gold medallist represented Harr-iers at a meeting with councillors at which he and chairman Ian Larrard outlined their proposals for the future of the club.

Mr Hemery, who is President of UK Athletics, travelled to the recent Sydney Olympics with the British team as an ambassador for the sport. His son Adrian, 19, is a promising decathlete with the Harriers and has already represented England.

Mr Hemery would love to see an indoor arena built alongside the existing track at the County Ground. His high profile in athletics can only help their cause.

He said: "The best-case scenario would be to have a 200m banked indoor track. It may be possible to have several lanes, a long jump and nets for cricket.

"The dream for Harriers and for Swindon would be to have the indoor track, with maybe 1,000 seats. It could be used for training, but also for schools and other events."

When Mr Hemery was in Australia, he was exposed to the splendour of the Olympic stadium. There is little point in attempting to model Harriers' facilities on that, but he picked up the Aussie ethos about converting promise into achievement.

"We don't want to waste talent," he said. "There are dozens of youngsters around with the ability to compete at the highest level.

"A certain number fall through the net who might be great. I would love to make sure they are caught.

"If Swindon wants to progress, it has to make sure that young people are given the opportunity to go from being local stars to being stars at national and international level. There is too much talent untapped."

Mr Hemery is aware that funds might not be available to build the indoor tack.

He said: "We were just putting forward our wish-list at the meeting, for the council to have a look at.

"An option is to have joint clubhouse facilities between the three clubs, with a shared restaurant, bar and changing rooms.

"There has been a good degree of willingness between the three clubs to help each other. It could even be run for the community, with weight-training and a creche.

Harriers, who have just been promoted to the National League for the first time, will not be able to host any fixtures until they expand their track to eight lanes.