A significant investment in cricket and multi-sport facilities at the Northern Ireland Civil Service Sports Association (nicssa), Stormont, formerly known as the Pavilion has been announced.
The ‘A Space for All’ project will see the redevelopment of sports facilities, delivering modern, inclusive and accessible infrastructure for community use and the development of sport.
The total funding for the project is £7.6million, which includes £3.5million from the Department for Communities, £1million from Sport Northern Ireland’s National Lottery funding and approximately £3million through the Irish Government’s Shared Island initiative.
Gavin Boyd, Sport NI Chair, said: “We warmly welcome this major investment in sporting facilities at the Pavilion, which will deliver lasting benefits for both community and high-performance sport. We look forward to working with nicssa and others to ensure that these enhanced facilities open up greater opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to take part in sport and physical activity.”
Communities Minister Gordon Lyons said: “My Department’s investment of £3.5million, alongside commitments from Sport NI and the Irish Government, demonstrates clearly our determination to deliver real, positive and lasting change through investment in high-quality, inclusive facilities.
“This project will deliver tangible benefits for communities, supporting participation, improving wellbeing and creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities.
“The redevelopment will address capacity and accessibility issues while enhancing opportunities for schools, clubs and under-represented groups. This investment will significantly strengthen Northern Ireland’s position as a proposed location to host matches in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2030, in partnership with Cricket Ireland, and I will continue to strongly make the case for matches to be secured for Belfast.”
Kieran Devlin, CEO, nicssa, said: “Beyond major events, the investment will deliver lasting benefits for our members and local communities by increasing access to sport, supporting health and wellbeing and creating opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to participate in physical activity.
“Construction is anticipated to commence in early 2027, with completion anticipated for summer 2028.
“This landmark investment represents a significant milestone in strengthening Northern Ireland’s sporting infrastructure, creating lasting opportunities for participation, performance and international events for many years to come.”
Brian MacNeice, Chair of Cricket Ireland, said: “We are delighted with this funding announcement today. This commitment by the two governments, both north and south of the border, is a clear demonstration of support and belief that they have in the future of Irish cricket and will provide much needed infrastructure and facilities for our sport.
“This investment will greatly enhance our facilities in Northern Ireland. It will ensure we have fit for purpose infrastructure to host senior international events in Stormont and support our ability to cohost the 2030 Men’s T20 World Cup.”