Community Day honours stalwart who fought for town

THE people of Penzance came together on Sunday to remember a champion of their commmunity.

- by CORNISHMAN REPORTER

The Melville Durrant Memorial and Community Day, held at the Princess May Recreation Ground, featured an inflatable theme park, dog show, skate jam and an assortment of stalls.

"For decades Melville Durrant worked tirelessly to maintain and improve the Princess May Recreation Ground and, as a Penzance town councillor, was involved in the transfer of the site from Cornwall Council to Penzance Council," said a town council spokesperson.

"Tragically, he died last year when he was involved in a collision involving two vehicles on the A30."

The Princess May Recreation Ground was transferred from Cornwall Council to Penzance Council in 2024, concluding the current phase of devolution of unitary authority assets to the town.

It offers open spaces, a skate bowl, multi-use sports courts and a children’s play area.

Organised by the Princess May Recreation Community Interest Company, the Community Day was an opportunity to ask local residents what enhancements to the site they wanted to see next for the site.