As Leader of the Council and a Ward Member, I was delighted to attend Quarriers United Football Club's Awards tonight to show the Council’s support for the club’s work in the local community and to celebrate their achievements in the past year.
I have followed the growth and development of the club with great interest since it was founded in 2004.
Quarriers is an example of all that is good in youth football, as recognised by the award of the SFA’s Quality Mark.
The charity and community work they do is also to be commended.
Like other successful youth football clubs in Inverclyde, Quarriers provides the opportunity for young people – boys and girls – to learn and play the game that many of us love.
This simply would not be possible without the hard work and dedication of the volunteers who run the club and give so freely of their time.
Having followed my own son’s football career for the last 6 years I know how much we as parents owe to the coaches and officials.
I also know how important it is that we as parents support the clubs in whatever practical ways we can – be that through transporting the players to matches, fundraising, sponsorship or turning up to support them.
The Council is very keen to support and promote the development of youth football in Inverclyde.
We do this in a number of ways.
Football Development Officer
Since 1991, in partnership with the SFA, we have employed a Football Development Officer who has a vital role in the strategic development of schools and community football.
Free Pitch Hire and Subsidised Training Facilities
In April 2008 we introduced free pitch hire for under 16 teams as a practical demonstration of our support for youth football and we followed this up in April 2010 by reducing letting charges for indoor training facilities by introducing a 75% waiver.
Grant Funding
Youth football clubs have regularly benefited from the Council’s Grants to Voluntary Organisations Fund over the years.
In 2009 we encouraged Riverside Inverclyde to establish a Youth Sports Fund and youth football clubs have been the main beneficiaries.
Investment in Facilities
Recognising that our facilities were simply not good enough in this day and age, the Council embarked on a major programme of investment.
Since 2007 we have delivered new 3G synthetic pitches at Battery Park, Lady Octavia Park, Gourock Park, Inverclyde Academy, Broomhill Park and Wemyss Bay Primary School, and a new 3G pitch is nearing completion at Parklea.
We have plans for a second 3G pitch at Parklea, a new community stadium, incorporating modern changing accommodation, and the upgrade of 8 grass pitches.
We will shortly be upgrading changing accommodation at Broomhill and Ravenscraig Stadium, having already carried out similar work at Gourock Park.
Indoor facilities for football will be significantly improved through the provision of a new sports centre at Rankin Park in Greenock.
Our schools programme will also deliver improved facilities across the district, including at the new campus in Port Glasgow.
I recognise that there are particular challenges in Kilmacolm and Quarriers when it comes to the provision of pitches and training facilities, and I would like to work with Quarriers' club officials to see how we can best address these.
As we look forward to the festival of football that is the World Cup, I am proud that the Council I lead is doing so much to promote the beautiful game.
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It really is such a pity that the 3G investment looks fantastic when it is nicely written down in a report,or a list of achievments.The reality is that some of the areas these park have been built have had no benefits to the community that live there and the children dont get to use these facilities.Before the parks were refurbished they could play all day and night on the old parks .but now they have no were to play their football as they arent allowed on these parks.
ReplyDeleteJohn Odonnell
Ps if you have any doubts about this walk round these parks at any time ,were kids used to play ,now they arent there
Perhaps a case of just not being able to win John?
ReplyDeleteThe parks themselves actually look fantastic as well.
If you give me some examples I am more than happy to investigate your complaint.
I have to say however that I regularly pass by the pitches at the new All Saints Primary and St Stephen's High School (admittedly neither are 3G pitches) and the fact that they are fenced off does not deter informal use. I am sure this is also the case with other pitches.
I do accept that when the pitches are being used for games and training they are not available for informal play but that has always been the case.
Given the number of boys and girls playing organised youth football in Inverclyde I am content that these new pitches are benefiting young people in every community.