Oswestry's
Park Hall Stadium is to get a new lease of life.
WORK will start in August on the redevelopment of Oswestry’s old Park Hall
Stadium after The New Saints received an award of £445,038 from the Football
Foundation.
The grant will go towards new and improved multi-functional facilities which
will provide a wide range of activities with football being the main focus. The
redevelopment will include replacement of the existing grass pitch with a floodlit,
full-size third generation astroturf surface, together with new changing facilities,
coach education training rooms, social facilities, bar and catering, an indoor
children’s play area and 10-lane 10-pin bowling alley.
Park Hall Stadium has provided local community organisations with a recreational
facility for a number of years. However, lack of investment has allowed the changing
facilities and grass surface to suffer. To cater for the needs of the local community,
clubs and schools, the replacement of the grass pitch with an artificial surface
will greatly increase the availability of the facility to local people. The Football Foundation is dedicated to revitalising the grass roots of the game,
constructing modern football facilities, developing football as a force for social
cohesion and as a vehicle for education in communities throughout the country.
Funded by the FA Premier League, The Football Association, Sport England and
the Government, the Football Foundation is the nation's largest sports
charity with a £45m budget going straight into the heart of football.
Paul Thorogood, chief executive of the Football Foundation, welcomed the news: "This award to The New Saints Football Club will be a boost to the area and the Shropshire
FA deserve credit for their work on this project."
Overall, the improvements to Park Hall Stadium will cost more than £3 million
and provide the club and the local community with state of the art facilities.
The project is currently out to tender and the club is hopeful that work will
commence in August, with a scheduled completion date of May 2007.
"We would like to extend our thanks to the Football Foundation for their generous
financial support towards the development," says general manager Ian Williams.
"Without their support - and the significant financial contribution from Mike
Harris, who is fully committed to providing the best facilities for the local
area - the project would not have been able to happen.
"The club looks forward to enhancing existing and creating new partnerships with
local organisations who will benefit greatly from the new facilities," he
added.
9 June 2021
THE SEVERN 107.1FM
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