Attwood opens Newry sports pitch

Social Development Minister, Alex Attwood today officially opened a new £260,000 synthetic sports pitch at High Street, Newry.

The project delivers a state of the art third generation football pitch. The much needed new facility replaces grass pitches which had been closed for many years for health and safety reasons. It will provide a welcome addition to the adjacent community facility, which serves as a centre for activities seven days a week, for all age groups.

Speaking at a family fun day to mark the opening of the new facility, Alex Attwood said: "This is a real boost for sports people in Newry. Since its establishment in the 1970s, the Threeways Community Association has worked tirelessly to assist the community which it serves and has contributed to the development of the strong sense of community which clearly exists in this area."

The Minister described the scheme, funded through the Department’s Neighbourhood Renewal Investment Fund, as an excellent example of local and central government working with communities to address the problems of urban deprivation. The project was managed by Newry and Mourne District Council who will also take responsibility for its future upkeep and maintenance.

Alex Attwood said: "The Department for Social Development, in partnership with the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership Board, has been striving to address the inequalities associated with deprivation in urban areas. Over £4.5million has been spent on a range of projects in the Newry Neighbourhood Renewal Area. These projects will not only provide new and improved facilities such as football pitches and community facilities, they also serve to tackle the root causes of deprivation by tackling issues such as poor educational attainment and barriers to employment."

Notes to editors:

1. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy ‘People and Place’ was published in June 2003 to close the gap between the quality of life for people in the most deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of society. The Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy has four interlinking strategic objectives.
   Community Renewal – to develop confident communities that are able and committed to improving the quality of life in their areas.
   Economic Renewal – to develop economic activity in the most deprived neighbourhoods and connect them to the wider urban economy.
   Social Renewal – to improve social conditions for the people who live in the most deprived neighbourhoods through better co-ordinated public services and the creation of safer environments.
   Physical Renewal – to help create attractive, safe and sustainable environments in the most deprived neighbourhoods.
2. The Threeways Community Association will also operate the facility as a social economy venture using income generated to fund youth projects in the area.
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