LISTENING TO THE CLUB’S MEMBERS SPEAK ABOUT THEIR AMBITIONS, NOT JUST FOR THIS PLANNED PROJECT BUT FOR FUTURE PROJECTS, WAS VERY HEARTENING.

CLLR JOHN PAUL O’SHEA

THERE were smiles all round in Banteer on Friday as Minister Heather Humphrey’s had a bumper cheque of €1.128 million for a state of the art sports facility which has been granted planning permission.

The funding will help put in place an astroturf pitch, a covered spectator stand, changing rooms, and a stateoflighting system along with meeting rooms.

The funding was granted under the Rural Regeneration & Development scheme. Cllr John Paul O’Shea (FG) said that already the facilities at Banteer Community Sportsfield include sports pitches, a children’s playground, a 1km walk with lighting, pond field, hurling wall, changing rooms, toilets and a seated area.

“It was clear that Minister Humphrey’s was impressed by the existing facilities and by the group’s plans to add to that, which will be possible given the significant funding through the government’s Rural Regeneration & Development Fund,” the councillor said.

Cllr O’Shea said that rural communities like Banteer can grow and thrive when the community comes together and “pro-actively works” to take the plans which they have on paper and make them a reality.

“Listening to the club’s members speak of their ambitions, not just with this planned project, but with future projects which are being hatched all the time, was very heartening,” he said.

He also said that it was clear that Minister Humphrey’s was impressed by the existing facilities and by the community group who want to add and enhance their facilities for their community.