Galway County Council has secured €60,000 in funding for the installation of permanent sports equipment at two public parks in Ballinasloe and Tuam.
The Minister of State for Sport, Physical Education & the Gaeltacht Thomas Byrne has included the local projects in his announcement of recipients of the ‘Participation Nation Outdoor Fund’, which was launched earlier this year to support nature connected projects at sports facilities that are open to community use.
The Palace Grounds in Tuam has received funding for the installation of a 3v3 Basketball Court and a Table Tennis and Tec Ball Table. The investment follows the recent allocation under the Community Development Fund of €75,000 towards the development of a sensory garden and dog park at the 12-acre park, which also includes 5 kilometres miles of walkways.
Meanwhile, the proposed East Galway Eco Park at Ballintober, near Kilconnell, will benefit from the provision of a “BoxUp” locker to enable the public to easily access sporting equipment. ‘Fit Stick’ walking trail signage also will be installed to encourage people to be active while at the Eco Park, which also received €50,000 in August under the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme and a further €178,000 in last month’s Sports Capital Grant announcement.
Councillor Albert Dolan, Cathaoirleach of the County of Galway said, “Engaging in sports helps individuals of all ages build self-confidence, reduce stress, and enhance their mental health. By introducing this new funding scheme, the Government is providing valuable support to local authorities in purchasing and installing permanent sport equipment on public land for community use.”
Liam Conneally, Chief Executive of Galway County Council commented, “Increasing the level of participation in sport and physical activity of the people in Galway and enhancing the county’s sporting infrastructure are key goals of Galway County Council and the Galway Sports Partnership. I want to acknowledge the Council staff for their work in securing this €60,000 in funding and for exploring new opportunities for encouraging greater use of the public space at The Palace Grounds and the proposed East Galway Eco Park.”
Andrew McBride, Co-ordinator for the Galway Sports Partnership commented, “The funded projects will be very much welcomed by the people of Tuam, Kilconnell and the surrounding areas and will provide the communities concerned with the opportunity to be more active in outdoor settings.”
The ‘Participation Nation Outdoor Fund’ is overseen by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport, Media & Equality and is administered by Sport Ireland. For more visit www.gov.ie.
