Dungannon Swifts aim to create ‘flagship sporting facility’ with 3G pitch at Stangmore Park

At a recent meeting of the council’s development committee, members heard from Dungannon Cut it as to how the club plans to use the £50,000 funding it is due to receive from the council through the local authority discretionary grant.

They heard how the club wants to build a 3G pitch at home – Stangmore Park – for the benefit of the club and the wider community.

It was explained that the club, founded in 1949, has become the leading football club in the Irish League but must continue to produce its own players to compete at this level.

Although Stangmore Park is famous for its beautiful grass lawn, it is expensive to maintain and can only be used for about four hours a week.

On the contrary, the 3G site will allow the club to use 40 hours a week not only for its own activities, but also for other sports clubs and ordinary groups of users who want to get together and play.

The project will cost £375,980, but the club has already secured £300,000 from a FIFA relief plan and raised £25,980 themselves, and is now asking the council for £50,000 from its discretionary capital.

Swifts chairman Keith Boyd said it had the potential to become a “flagship sporting facility in the western region and beyond”.

“Dungannon Swifts is at the heart of the community and the club is committed to improving our home ground at Stangmore Park to include state-of-the-art training and match facilities which will benefit not only our club but the wider sporting community around the world. district.

“This will allow our club to further expand its activities, which in turn will allow even more young people to participate in sports. The club and its facilities are vital to Dungannon, the wider area and its relationship with football and sport in general.”

Sinn Féin councilor Dominic Malloy said it was great “to have the best team of local talent playing in the area” and wished the club all the best with the project.

“Swifts has a wide range of fans and players that is representative of the people of the wider Dungannon region,” said Cllr Molloy.

“It’s always good work at Swifts and the work they do with a feeder club like Dungannon United Youth is also top notch.”

SDLP Group Leader Councilor Malachi Quinn also praised the Swifts’ work with youth teams and said the project would further open up opportunities for the area’s future stars to follow in the footsteps of the likes of Connor Bradley.

DUP councilor Frances Burton told the chamber she knew first-hand how the Swifts worked with local schools to get young people active and said she was confident the local authority would do everything possible to help the club achieve its goals.