DONNINGTON residents hoping to transform their beloved recreation ground got together on Valentine’s Day to work on their vision.

Members of Donnington Tenants and Residents Association joined with Donnington Community Association to see how the field could be revamped at their Love Your Community event on Sunday.

It came after Radcliffe Road resident Su Frizzell told the Oxford Mail last week she thought Donnington and East Oxford had been “deprived of local amenities” by Oxford City Council.

The council insisted it was “committed to improving all areas of Oxford” but needed to focus on the “regeneration areas of Blackbird Leys, Barton and Rose Hill” as those areas were deemed as deprived by the government.

Labour city councillor for Iffley Fields, Richard Tarver, added: “It was my suggestion to the Donnington Tenants and Residents Association that we press the case for improvements to Donnington recreation ground.

“Capital money has now been allocated for improvements and I will work hard with residents to see what improvements can be made there.”

Families at Donnington Community Centre used green stickers to highlight which ideas impressed them.

Proposals included having benches to commemorate community members, creating an art space, forming a Donnington football club, providing outdoor exercise equipment for all ages, planting flowers around the ground, and opening a community cafe.

Swinburne Road resident Cecily Kirtland, who has lived there with husband Dennis for 48 years, said Donnington needed more outdoor activities to tackle obesity and improve fitness levels.

The 72-year-old added: “For many years we have struggled as a community to find open space where the whole community can enjoy activities.

“If we don’t preserve and look after our community, it’s going to disintegrate and that just can’t happen.

“We have been overlooked. We want the council to put resources in so we can survive as a community.”

But city council spokesman Tom Jennings insisted that the council has not overlooked Donnington or East Oxford.

He said Donnington recreation ground was used “exclusively for football” until recently and residents could use other nearby facilities.

This includes play areas off Townsend Square and in George Moore Close, Hinksey Heated Outdoor Pool, the new £4.76m Rose Hill Community Centre, and Florence Park’s play equipment, tennis courts, mini golf and café.

Mr Jennings also said East Oxford Community Centre had a £15,000 refurbishment last year.