Belfast Celtic football club has been given permission by the council to use a storage container to protect its equipment at Falls Park, following recent vandalism.
At Belfast City Council’s recent meeting of its People and Communities Committee, elected members approved the application for installation of a storage container by Belfast Celtic at Falls Park as well as a request from Celtic Boys for installation of a container at Sally Gardens.
In September twenty sets of nets at the Falls Park pitches used by Belfast Celtic Young Men and Ladies FC had their cross-bars snapped in one night, causing £700 worth of damage. The damage was discovered just hours ahead of around 450 kids arriving for a cross-community tournament, which was attended by Leicester City manager Brendan Rodgers amongst others.
Read more: Belfast fuel poverty scheme criticised for £60,000 income threshold
A council report states of the Belfast Celtic request: “The request comes because goalposts owned by the club but stored at the pitch, have been repeatedly broken and vandalised. There have been at least seven recorded incidents of antisocial behaviour leading to damage of the club’s property and costing the club several hundreds of pounds in repair and replacement costs.
“Despite the efforts of council officers to curb the anti-social behaviours at the site the risk to the club’s equipment remains. The council is not currently in a position to provide storage for the club’s equipment and the club therefore are requesting permission to purchase and to house a storage container on council land to be able to safely store this equipment.
“The club has no formal facility management or partner agreement for use of this site but, in common with other users, book the site through the normal council booking process. Belfast Celtic are the most frequent user of these pitches, their recent bookings amount to 43 percent of the total with the other 57 percent split across nine other users.” The agreement will run for a maximum period of two years.
Sinn Féin Councillor Micheal Donnelly told the committee: “Belfast Celtic do sterling work, and there has been thousands of pounds worth of damage done in the Falls Park. This is a positive way of combating antisocial behaviour in the Falls Park. Belfast Celtic bring in thousands of people week in week out across the city.”
As well as proposing acceptance of the Falls Park request, which was recommended by council officers, Councillor Donnelly proposed the council acceded to the request from Celtic Boys for installation of a container for their exclusive use at Sally Gardens.
This was not recommended by council officers. The report states: “Celtic Boys FC are one of 10 regular customers and their bookings represent 28 percent of the total with Oliver Plunkett FC being the most frequent user with bookings representing 32 percent.”
It states: “In considering the request by Celtic Boys FC at Sally Gardens the CNS asset board could find no immediately evident reason to warrant the installation of storage at the site for the exclusive use of this one club.
“On the basis that supporting the request may not best serve the requirements and expectations of the broad range of site users the board is recommending members do not grant the club’s request at this time.
“However, given the significant physical changes ongoing at Sally Gardens in developing The Colin Healthy Living Centre officers propose a comprehensive review of storage requirements at the site to highlight any gaps in supply and identify solutions to best serve the needs of users across sports and community programming.”
Councillor Donnelly said: “I also propose we approve the installation of the shipping container in Sally Gardens for Celtic Boys. We have talked about them not being the predominant club but there will be the same model that Belfast Celtic are introducing in Falls Park, namely that it will be available for other clubs to put their equipment in.
“We can tease out if the likes of Oliver Plunkett and other clubs can keep their equipment there. Because it is a nightmare for the clubs to come back and forth with their gear, and obviously the antisocial element.” He received cross party support on both proposals, which will require ratification by the full council.
READ NEXT:
Belfast Council report on ethnic inequalities in city a "sobering" read
Belfast's Fountain Street pavement cafes at centre of City Hall and Stormont clash
Belfast Council says no Christmas tree switch-on or countdown for "health and safety" reasons
Belfast Council to employ more staff to cope with dual language street sign demand
For all the latest news, visit the Belfast Live homepage here. To sign up to our FREE newsletters, see here.
