£1.9m facility for Moyola Association Football Club
The Office Bearers and Committee Members of Moyola Park Association Football Club are delighted to announce that the club has been awarded a grant of £1.55m by Sport Northern Ireland towards the development of a new playing pitch and associated facilities at Mill Meadow, Bridge Street, Castledawson. The club is also pleased to acknowledge financial support for this exciting project from the Sport Northern Ireland Soccer Strategy Facilities Programme, Magherafelt District Council (Sports’ Capital Funding Programme), the Trustees of the Chichester Club and a number of individuals including club president, Arthur Martin whose loan was critical at a time when the future of the project was in jeopardy. The club itself made an input of £150,000 towards the project the total cost of which will be just under £2m.
Pictured above at the official sod cutting at the new site of Moyola FC are: Eamonn McCartan, Sport Northern Ireland Chief Executive, Jillian Lennox, Moyola FC Honorary Treasurer and Raymond Kennedy, President Irish Football Association
What has become known as ‘The Mill Meadow Project’ has been four years in the planning with the club having to secure a lease from the Moyola Park Estate Trustees and obtain planning permission as well as financial support. Politicians from all of the parties on Magherafelt District Council supported the planning application, as did local Mid Ulster MP, Mr. Martin McGuinness.
In deciding to embark on this ambitious project Moyola Park AFC had the twofold aim of providing an appropriate setting for the growing number of young people wishing to become involved with the club through mini soccer, youth football and ladies’ football and a facility which would enable the male adult senior team to play at the highest level of intermediate football.
As well as a full size FIFA 2* 3rd generation artificial turf playing pitch the development will include dugouts, pitch and ground perimeter fencing, car parking, a 200 seat covered accommodation stand and a pavilion with four team changing rooms, two officials’ changing areas, an indoor multi sport area, a committee room and toilet facilities for spectators.
Speaking on their involvement in the project, Eamonn McCartan, Chief Executive of Sport Northern Ireland commented: “As the lead agency for developing sport in Northern Ireland, Sport Northern Ireland is committed to providing opportunities for people of all abilities to participate in sport. This development will further enhance the facilities available to the local community and Sport Northern Ireland is delighted to support this excellent project.”
The facility has been designed by McGurk Chartered Architects and the main contractor, chosen by tender in conjunction with Sport Northern Ireland, is Woodvale Construction, Omagh. Work on the development will commence shortly and will be completed in good time for Moyola Park AFC to participate in the 2010/11 Irish Football Association Championship. |
