€63k allocated for new Kilrush Sports Hub

Kilrush is one of just six towns nationally to receive funding from the Dormant Accounts Fund for a new Community Sports and Physical Activity Hub.

€63,700 has been allocated to the Kilrush hub, applications for which were sought under the Local Sports Partnerships in a competitive bid process under three themes: community setting, schools based setting and an outdoor setting.

According to Minister of State for Trade, Employment, Business, EU Digital Single Market and Data Protection, Pat Breen the success of the Kilrush application was due to the legacy potential of the project, supported by the significant coordinated approach by local partner organisations. “The objective of Community Sports and Physical Activity Hubs is to bring local people together and provide a home for local clubs and sports organisations. The Hubs provide information, support and advice on a wide range of sports and physical activities to make it easier for people in disadvantaged areas to get involved in and engage in a more active and healthier lifestyle.

“For the hubs to succeed they need the support of the community, and the successful application from Kilrush shows strong community involvement ,which points to the long term sustainability of the project in the west Clare town. The involvement of Clare Local Authority, private facility owners, the Kilrush Interagency Working Group, Community Sports Clubs, Kilrush Gardaí, Local Schools, NGB’s and the Family Resource Centre, which includes stakeholders from the voluntary, statutory and private sectors, showed the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport just how committed the Kilrush community is to a project that will aim to enhance local community access and sustain involvement in sport and physical activity,” Breen added.

Objectives for the Kilrush Hub from the project plan include engaging with the youth in disadvantaged areas through a multi-sport approach, providing necessary training for the local leaders of sport, promoting a healthy lifestyle, a coordinated approach to ensure better access to public facilities, creation of an environment where parents are educated on the benefits of Sport and Physical activity, utilising the school system to break down rivalry barriers, assisting in the upgrade of sports equipment for clubs, bringing the community hall playing surface up to standard, developing a targeted approach to address the reasons for drop out of sports and ensuring a culture of equal opportunities to engage in sport regardless of gender and religion.