ARBORFIELD residents enjoyed the unveiling of a new community picnic shelter, less than a year since the original fixture was burned down.
Students and teachers from The Coombes School joined members of the parish council at Arborfield Park for the grand opening on Friday, March 31.
The pre-existing gazebo was burned down last May, in an incident which Thames Valley Police treated as arson.
Andrew Clint, chair of Arborfield and Newland Parish Council, said: “This is just one of the improvements to the park that the council are making with newly installed CCTV to protect the council assets keeping the residents safe and extensive refurbishment and extension underway to the pavilion.
“Arborfield Park is an important resource for the community and is regularly enjoyed by pupils and parents from The Coombes School who meet in the park after the end of the school day to relax and enjoy the play area.”
The pupils, accompanied by headteacher Luke Henderson, were bestowed with the honour of cutting the ribbon at the ceremony.
On what was a wet afternoon, those in attendance were reminded of just how useful the gazebo will be.
The fire took place on May 21, with Royal Berkshire Fire and Rescue Service called to the scene to extinguish the blaze on Swallowfield Road.
The incident, which Arborfield councillor Gary Cowan described as “mindless”, left the stand and seating area charred and the floor covered in ash. The burned remains were deemed unusable.
At the time, Cllr Cowan, said: “I am appalled by the mindless vandalism from these arsonists.
“The parish council works really hard to put facilities for all to use and enjoy and for people to torch it makes absolutely no sense whatsoever as they are just destroying something that they themselves could use.
“Criminal damage is becoming an epidemic and my big worry it will lead to more serious incidents. The police have a big role to play in stopping this mindless vandalism and arson before someone is seriously hurt or worse.”
