BANBRIDGE District Council are to spend over £100,000 on creating new facilities at the football pitches at Havelock Park and Holm Park.
The bulk of the money is to be spent on new changing room facilities at the the Banbridge pitch, home to Seapatrick Football Club.
The construction of the new changing facilities will bring Havelock Park up to Intermediate status for next season.
U
nder the current regulations for the top intermediate leagues in the country the changing rooms at the Lurgan Road site are too far away from the pitch.
The Council's Director of Leisure Services Mike Reith explained, "As well as the changing rooms being too far away from the pitch the IFA insist on a safe access or segregated area for match officials and players to access the pitch and a metre high fence is needed to permit this.
"The current pavillion does not have integrated showering facilities within each changing room.
"If Seapatrick or any other club want to progress at Intermediate level then they will need to meet these requirements.
"Obviously then if the ground meets the standards then we will be able to allow teams to share the ground and play at Intermediate level," he said.
These regulations have to be met if clubs want to be considered for the new IFA Championship which kicks off this season.
dug-outs
Meanwhile Havelock Park and Holm Park, home to Dromore Amateurs, are to get new dug-outs as part of the required improvements.
"Currently the dug-outs don't meet the required standards," Mr Reith continued.
"At the minute they need to be able to hold eight people but currently the dugouts are only able to hold four.
"Also the dugouts at Holm Park are too close to the pitch so the new ones will have to be moved back to conform with the regulations."
The news has come as a welcome boost to the Amateurs, who have seen their plans for a permanent move to a new site hit a financial hitch.
"We are in the process of trying to get approval from the council for some improvement work at Ferris Park or Holm Park," said Paul Magill from the club.
"If our club wants to meet the criteria for intermediate football, there would need to be a substantial amount of work carried out at either venue.
"Our initial plan was for the Orangefields, but due to the high financial costs associated with that project, Dromore Amateurs have had to source alternative options for facilities that would meet the criteria for Intermediate football.
"Hopefully with the councils help we might be able to achieve this goal and our Club appreciates all help directed towards the football club's long-term existence," he added.
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