Work is due to start next month of a £500,000 refurbishment of sports pitches at Lurgan Junior High School.
And pressure is to be stepped up to find the funding necessary to provide “adequate” toilet and changing facilities too.
The works – to centre on football and hockey pitches – will involve full resurfacing of both and the installation of new shock pads for improved safety and performance.
If all goes according to plan, work is due to start on September 10, with an estimated completion date of November 19.
Confirmation that the refurbishments are now set to go ahead have been welcomed by local MP Carla Lockhart, who described it as a “huge win for local sport and young people.”
The upgrade comes following over a year of campaigning and close collaboration between the Upper Bann MP, local councillors, clubs and concerned users.
The existing pitches had reached the end of their lifespan and were in clear need of resurfacing, with safety concerns also raised.
Speaking after confirmation of the project, the DUP representative said: “I’m absolutely delighted, along with council colleagues, to have helped secure this half-a-million-pound investment for Lurgan Junior High School’s football and hockey pitches.
“This is a major boost for local sport and a project that has been over a year in the making.
“Thanks to strong forward planning when the pitches were first installed, a legal clause was included that bound both the Education Authority and the Ccouncil to resurface them when needed and that time has come.
“I want to pay tribute to the local clubs who pushed determinedly for this, and to those who raised concerns in my office about safety and injuries your voices made a real difference.
“A big thank you must go to Michael from the council and Sorcha from the Education Authority for their hard work behind the scenes. Both organisations will share the cost equally, with the EA leading the contract.”
Ms Lockhart has also confirmed she has raised the need for adequate toilet and changing facilities, which were dropped during the original project due to funding cuts.
“I’ve asked for immediate scoping and costings for these essential facilities, and I’ll continue to press for their inclusion going forward,” she added.
“While there will be some short-term disruption, I’ve been assured the council is working hard to accommodate all local clubs during the works.
“This is a long-term investment in our schools, our sport, and our young people and it’s great to see it moving forward.”
