Minutes:
The Chief Executive reported that a request had been received from Mr. E. Hawkins, Chairman of Crumlin Star Football Club, to address the Council in relation to the People and Communities Committee’s decision of 13th June to refuse the club’s request to use the Strangford Avenue Playing Fields as its home venue.
The Council agreed to receive Mr. Hawkins and he was admitted to the meeting.
Mr. Hawkins informed the Council that Crumlin Star Football Club, which had been formed in 1947, was one of the oldest clubs in North Belfast and fielded teams of all ages, across a number of leagues. He explained that, for more than ten years, the club had been working with the Council to secure a suitable pitch in the City on which to play its home games. He highlighted a number of venues in North Belfast which had been considered during that time but which, for various reasons, were unavailable, with the result that the club had been forced to travel to Larne to fulfil its home fixtures. In order to address the issue, it had, in 2016, sought the Council’s approval to play its home games on the Strangford Avenue Playing Fields in South Belfast, which had generated adverse publicity, particularly within social media, and had damaged the good reputation of the club.
He drew the Council’s attention to a report which had, on several occasions, been presented to the People and Communities Committee, which had stated that funding of £50,000 would be required to upgrade the Strangford Avenue Playing Fields to Intermediate League standards and that it would be necessary to construct a pathway, at a cost of £10,000, around the perimeter of the pitch. He pointed out that a response from the Council to a Freedom of Information request on expenditure by the Council on similar pitches across the City had, in the club’s opinion, proven that the proposed cost of upgrading the Strangford Avenue Playing Fields was excessive and had not been researched fully. The response had indicated also that none of those pitches had had to have a pathway constructed around them as a condition of their use. He added that the aforementioned Committee report had stated also that the Irish Football Association was in the process of reviewing the criteria governing the use of Intermediate League grounds, however, he confirmed that had yet to be completed, which was further adding to the club’s difficulties in securing a pitch in Belfast.
Mr. Hawkins informed the Council that it had been stated within meetings of the People and Communities Committee, and through other sources, that Crumlin Star Football Club would be required to make some level of investment in the Strangford Avenue Playing Fields. He pointed out that that was not the case and drew the Council’s attention to a further response to a Freedom of Information request which had indicated clearly that the Council had funded upgrades to a number of other pitches across the City, without the need for a contribution from any of the clubs using them. He concluded by refuting assertions which had been made around, for example, increased traffic and disruption in the vicinity of Strangford Avenue on match days and the erection of high level fencing around the pitch and urged the Council to refer the matter back to the People and Communities Committee to allow the club’s request to be considered in further detail.
The Lord Mayor thanked Mr. Hawkins for his contribution and he retired from the meeting.
The Council noted the information which had been provided and that it would have an opportunity to discuss the matter further later in the meeting, whilst the minutes of the meeting of the People and Communities Committee were being considered.