Special guests included the Mayor of Craigavon, Councillor Robert Smith and Irish Football Association president, Raymond Kennedy, plus children from the Hart Memorial and Drumgor primary schools.

The multi-purpose pitch with a synthetic grass surface has a wooden perimeter rebound fence with built-in goals, basketball boards and centre posts for nets - making it suitable for football, volleyball, basketball and tennis.

Originally a vacant grass area, the pitch was developed through a £90,000 investment, with £65,000 from Craigavon Borough Council and £25,000 from the Irish Football Association through the UEFA Hat-Trick Assistance Programme.

FAMILY

“It’s a fabulous family facility,” said chairman of leisure services committee, Councillor Dolores Kelly MLA. “It will provide a great opportunity for young people and adults to participate in sport.

“The work behind this pitch reflects our commitment and drive to help our residents achieve a healthier lifestyle.

“Credit must be given to officers within leisure services who obtained external grant aid to support the project.

“This is an excellent example of the council working in partnership with a range of organisations for the benefit of the ratepayer.”

The multi-purpose play area is 33 metres by 18 metres and is available for public hire at £20 per hour or £15 if concessions apply. Lights are a further £5 per hour.

“I would just like to thank everyone involved in this project for all their hard work,” said IFA president, Raymond Kennedy. “This is a superb facility and I’m sure all the budding young sports stars in the area will have loads of fun using it.

“Sport is about encouraging communities to come together and also about promoting a healthy lifestyle and this excellent facility will help do both.

“Everyone at the Irish Football Association, through UEFA, is delighted to support this project.”

The idea for the pitch was raised in 2006 and it has taken considerable work by officers from the council for it to come to realisation.