*Pictured at the launch of the Ballinasloe Community Sports Hub (left to right) Andrew Mc Bride and Loraine Treacy (Galway Sports Partnership), Cllr Michael Connolly and Cllr Evelyn Parsons (Galway County Council), Jason Craughwell and Tommy Peoples (Galway Sports Partnership) and Ciarán Cafferkey (Sport Ireland). Credit Gerry Stronge Photography.
A NEW community-based initiative to promote health, wellbeing and physical activity in the East Galway area has been officially launched in Ballinasloe.
Elected Members, members of the local community and representatives of Galway County Council, Galway Sports Partnership and Galway Rural Development Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP) gathered at the Emerald Ballroom for the launch of the Ballinasloe Community Sports Hub, which is poised to become a central pillar in the local sports landscape for the next five years, serving as a hub for collaboration, development and inclusivity.
Funded by Sport Ireland through the Dormant Account Fund, the project’s key mission is to increase participation in sport and physical activity by all members of the community irrespective of age, ability or background, particularly focusing on disadvantaged areas, by bringing local people together to improve the ranges and opportunities offered in the local community for people to be physically active.
The launch coincided with a “Health, Well-Being and Physical Activity”, hosted by Galway Rural Development Social Inclusion Community Activation Programme (SICAP), during which health and wellbeing organisations displayed their supports and offerings available to the community and networked with each other to collaborate on initiatives to promote health, well-being and physical activity in Ballinasloe.
Formally launching the Hub, Cllr Michael Connolly (FF), Cathaoirleach of the Ballinasloe Municipal District commented, “The Community Sports Hub is a huge opportunity for the community to build on the great work already being done by clubs and physical activity groups and to amplify usage of the excellent facilities the area already has on offer”.
Jackie Carroll, Director of Services, Galway County Council said, “The Hub will create pathways for people of all ages in the community who are not currently physically active by providing information, support, advice and safe environments on a wide range of sports and physical activities to encourage participation in a healthier active lifestyle”.
Andrew McBride, Coordinator, Galway Sports Partnership stated, “It is great to see the Ballinasloe Community Sports and Physical Activity Hub coming to fruition and we look forward to working with all the key stakeholders and supporting the people of Ballinasloe to become more active throughout the lifetime of the Ballinasloe Hub and beyond”.
According to Loraine Treacy, Coordinator for the Ballinasloe Community Sports Hub, “It is a real honour to oversee this brand-new Hub in Ballinasloe. I know from first-hand experience the benefits of community development and the benefits associated with physical activity. I look forward to working with the people of Ballinasloe and introducing sustainable and meaningful changes in this area”.
For more information on the Ballinasloe Community Sports Hub or Galway Sports Partnership please email galwayactive@galwaycoco.ie or phone 091 509 670.
