Stadia Safety Programme Phase I - Ballymena United Football Club                                                  

Project Funding - £161,636

Thanks to funding from Sport Northern Ireland, Ballymena United Football Club now have a Crowd Control Room, segregation fencing, directional signage, automatic doors and automated turnstiles.  As a result of the project significant areas of the ground, which comply with guidance are now open to spectators and provide greater safety and comfort. The safe capacity of the venue, following completion of the project, is approximately 3,800 (approximately 3,500 seated).

Other work has been identified by the Council which will further increase the capacity of the venue and bring the venue closer to attaining the total capacity of 5,000 as stated in the IFA Facilities Strategy.

The project includes:

• A Crowd Control Room on the site of the O’Kane stand, including provision of radio communications, ground internal telephone system, external telephone, public address system, CCTV system and fire alarm repeater panel;
• The provision of signage throughout the Showgrounds, including additional signage within the new stand;
• Automatic opening to 2 no. sets of doors to the main stand (new stand);
• The erection of barriers between home and away supporters with controlled access gates for emergency escape; and
• The installation of a counting system fitted to existing turnstiles and cabled to the Crowd Control Room.