Talks wanted to create new sports hall in Crossgar area

Talks wanted to create new sports hall in Crossgar area

9 March 2016

A SERIES of meetings are being planned in a bid to advance plans for a new sports centre in Crossgar.

Members of the Crossgar Community Association are seeking urgent talks with senior Newry, Mourne and Down Council officials to secure local authority support for the cross-community project which would also feature a floodlit 3G pitch.

South Down MP Margaret Ritchie and Rowallane councillors Billy Walker, Terry Andrews and Harry Harvey have also pledged to do all they can to help the community group deliver a project which is most likely to be financed via cocktail of funding.

A feasibility study into the proposed project carried out several years ago recognised the overwhelming need and support for a new sports complex, with land at St. Colmcille’s High School identified as the preferred location.

An economic appraisal has also been carried out but community representatives are concerned that while £18m is to be spent on a new leisure centre in Downpatrick and sports complex in Saintfield, Crossgar has missed out once again.

Progressing the development of the sports complex topped the agenda at a meeting last week when committee members agreed to hold urgent talks with Rowallane councillors.

Community representatives are also keen to meet with the local council’s chief executive, Liam Hannaway, and council director Michael Lipsett to discuss how the project can be advanced.

Association chairman Paul Teggart said he was “disappointed to discover” that the local council will be spending £27m on a variety of projects over the next 12 months with not a single penny invested in Crossgar.

“Our district rates are increasing and we will be paying more, but no council cash is being invested in Crossgar,” he declared.

“Work will be starting on new leisure schemes in Downpatrick and Saintfield but we are 

still waiting. We are getting nothing from a council spending £27m on a variety of capital schemes.

“We want to see out politicians working together on this issue and to arrange a meeting for us with senior council officials. We are getting absolutely nothing in Crossgar. Money is being spent everywhere else but in our village.”

Mr Teggart said there were no facilities for young people in the village and that the premises the community group used for its meeting was a private building which was also used by members of the Crossgar Harriers running club to change in.

“We need a new sports complex which will benefit our local schools, sports and community groups. The need for the facility has been proven. When we see the level of investment in the towns around us, it makes us depressed.

“We are ratepayers and want to see the people of this village getting something, but we need help to deliver the new sports complex. We all need to work together on behalf of the good people of this village,”he added.

Pledging her support, Miss Ritchie said people have to work together to achieve the “very best outcome.”

She said that while securing the capital funding for the construction of the proposed new centre was key, the building’s running costs also had to be factored into the equation. She said it was obvious a cocktail of funding will be required to deliver the project.

The MP added: “It’s important to move forward on a positive note. It is important there is a collective vision to deliver on behalf of the community and that Newry, Mourne and Down Council and indeed the Northern Ireland Executive are with us on this issue.”