Yahoo News Irish League awaiting imminent announcement on funding believes Coleraine chairman Colin McKendry
Coleraine chairman Colin McKendry believes an announcement on the much-needed Sub-Regional Stadia funding will come imminently. Communities Minister Gordon Lyons paid a visit to Coleraine Showgrounds last week meeting with club officials to hear about their ambitious redevelopment plans and community initiatives.
The Bannsiders are one of several clubs in the Irish League in desperate need of funding to help improve facilities. The club has spent a lot of their own hard-earned cash to develop certain elements of their Ballycastle Road home in recent seasons, but are now in need of a bigger cash injection to redevelop the terracing opposite the main stand.
Coleraine, like the rest of the Irish League, have been waiting for over a decade for the government to finally release funds, with £36.2m initially promised. McKendry feels we are now approaching the end of that journey with clubs finally set to see the programme implemented.
"I do, I think there's a will to deliver this," he said. "When you look back when this was first announced all those years ago there were a lot of government issues and party politics and unfortunately sport found itself in the middle of it. I believe there's a will from all parties to deliver this now.
"From what I've heard I think this first tranche is going to be based on need. There are certain clubs in the Irish League which need funding, and it's pretty evident that Coleraine are one of those clubs.
"If we have to close one side of the stadium then that will impact on our income, our crowds and ultimately the experience of coming to games and everything that comes from that. Coleraine have produced a business plan which will hopefully put them in the running for whatever funding may come available. So hopefully we can be included in this first tranche."
The Bannsiders hopes is for The Showgrounds to be developed into a North West Regional stadium, but they also want a resource which can be used by the community as a whole.
"It won't happen overnight but a NW Regional Stadium here would be unique," said McKendry. "The area is unique in what we can give the public when you look at things like the NW200 and The Open.
"But where we sit geographically we are underfunded, we're unfunded as a borough and we are unfunded as a sport in the borough. I would like to see more investment coming into the area. I have to stress this isn't just for Coleraine Football Club, it's for the community far and wide so we can bring people who want to enjoy sports in good facilities.
"If you can better your facilities, like anything, it will help attract more people. Women and children need better facilities at ground, but to be honest everyone needs better facilities in the Irish League.
"With the exception of a couple of grounds when you go to a game in the Irish League the toilet facilities and the hospitality facilities are lacking. These are the norm in any walk of life, people expect them, and if you don't have them they aren't going to come, or they leave straight after the game so you don't have the matchday experience.
"So it's not just about building a stand, it's about building a stand with good facilities for entertaining people and can also be used by the community during the week as well. Hopefully we can pull it all together and if we can we'll have done a good job here."
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