A REFURBISHED pavilion at a village recreation ground has been renamed and opened in honour of a former parish councillor.
The Michael King Pavilion was formally opened at Colden Common Recreation Ground by the Mayor of Winchester, Cllr Angela Clear.
Michael King, known as ‘Mike’ or ‘Kinger’, was a parish councillor, chairman of Colden Common Football Club and best known as being the landlord of the Black Horse in Main Road for 37 years.
Colden Common Parish Council re-named the pavilion in recognition of Mike’s 30 years of contribution to public service and to village life.
Mike’s family joined parish and city councillors for the official opening on Saturday, June 4 which kicked off the annual village fete ‘Common Have a Go’.
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Wife of the village legend, Wendy King, said: “He would have been so proud to see the pavilion. He loved this village nearly as much as he loved Chelsea Football Club. It’s lovely we’ve got the bright blue ribbon for his football team. We’re proud as punch.
“He used to mow the lawn here in his younger days when he was chair of the football club. He was proud of the whole village.”
Recently retired parish councillor, Richard Izard, wrote Mr King’s obituary after he died of cancer at 70 years old in 2014.
Former council chairman, Mr Izard, said: “The village was him – the football and the recreation ground it was him.
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“He wasn’t political and the village was his whole life. We thought it was really fitting as a parish to name the pavilion after him and give him and his family that recognition.”
Before introducing the mayor to cut the ribbon, parish councillor John Boyes said: “He was a prominent and well-respected member within the village. The project to repurpose the pavilion has been made possible by generous donations and grants from Winchester City Council, the National Lottery, the Parish Hall Trust, the Recreation Ground Charity, Cllr Humby and Aviva. The end product has been well worth the wait.
The original pavilion had been in place since the 70’s when Mr King first moved to the area. But the old wooden building has been revamped as a community space with around £200,000 being raised for the refurbishment, including a £90,000 community infrastructure levy grant from Winchester City Council and £26,000 from the Recreation Ground Charity.
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