A Millennium project?
Back in 1999, the community of Bungay and its surrounding villages of Ditchingham, Earsham, Broome and others had extremely run down and depressing sports and activity facilities. You had to be very committed to exercise if you lived in Bungay as Waveney District Council had given up investing in sport in the far west of their region.
Then over the horizon, on white horses like the heros in old cowboy movies, came the Football Foundation, Suffolk County Council, the Land Fill Tax Scheme and a few other local supporters such as Bungay Town Trust, Bungay Town Council and Ditchingham Parish Council. But it was mainly a vision from the local sports clubs, that used the old Maltings Meadow, that actually things could change. £900,000 later, on March 2006, the Bungay & District Sports Association opened its new sports and social building and the Maltings Meadow started offering football and cricket pitches and a great social environment to enable players and their families to mix with other sports men and women.
18 months later a new artificial grassed, floodlit, Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) was built for tennis and 6-a-side football, simultaneously floodlights were installed around the main grass football pitch for U18s midweek football matches. Yet more investment was also being sunk into the ground as a new cricket square was created on extra land bought specifically for that purpose.
In 2010 we designed and installed an outdoor activity track and gymnasium that is open all day, free to use, for the whole community. This is an opportunity for local people, who can exercise in a safe environment with modern outdoor gymnasium equipment without the monthly expense of a gym membership.
Autumn 2011 into 2012 we bought an extra 3 acres of land and developed a new winter football and summer athletics area adjacent to our existing carpark.
June 2014 witnessed the renovation of the old facilities that were Ditchingham Rovers FC, and with the help and expertise of the Black Dog Running Club the two old football pitches were transformed into the Bungay Area Running Centre, creating space for athletes of all ages and abilities to exercise safely off the road.
Ten years after that initial opening we have created a multi-sports hub for everyone in the area. Football, Cricket, Tennis, Boxing, Running or Cycling are some of the sports that are available at the Maltings Meadow. We also have a great social function room or community learning space called the Maltings Pavilion with 80 car parking spaces, disabled access, and wonderful views over the marshes.
In April 2021 the Multi-Use Games Area was resurfaced, further improving the facilities available.
This web site will showcase the sports and activities that can be accessed and a range of opportunities that the Maltings Pavilion can be used to enjoy.