Prestwood Community Association has been glad to contribute to a new bike rack and benches at The Prestwood Gym and Fitness Centre.

PCA ‘legacy’ organisation Great Missenden and Prestwood Revitalisation Group was a committed advocate of cycling. It raised funds for and installed secure bike parking in locations around Prestwood. These included racks and rings adjacent to the Coop on the High Street and Prestwood Village Hall.

The need…

Luke Askew, General Manager, e-mailed us: “Enquiring about funding for secure bike parking. Our current arrangements do not work for modern bikes with larger wheels and residents have mentioned that they choose to drive rather than lock their bikes to the building columns or leave them unsecured.”

Given the fitness culture and demographic associated with the Prestwood Gym and Fitness Centre, we anticipate that the new bike rack will be well used, help reduce need for local car journeys, and make facilities more readily accessible to residents wishing to use the facilities.

Completed new bike rack and benches

With the installation now complete, Luke writes:

“Please see photos of the completed installations – the bike rack has been relocated to ensure we were 7.5m from any entrance/exit in line with GLL E-Scooter Policy. It’s in an accessible location, with a speed bump to protect it, under the CCTV and with a floodlight covering it during darkness.

We’ve had really positive feedback from juniors, footballers and walkers about the benches, especially as they are largely protected from the rain by the building canopy. The improved bike rack is already getting plenty of use including the larger bikes that couldn’t fit in the old rusty unit. Plus they all look really good and will last for many many years due to their designs.”

These additions are a small part of an ongoing programme of investment at The Prestwood Gym and Fitness Centre, including several recent new hires. These have been described in recent editions of HP16 The Source. One article concludes: “With its unwavering focus on community, sustainability, and innovation PGFC is more than just a place to exercise. It represents a movement towards a healthier, more connected community.”

This ethos accords very closely with PCA’s goals for our village.