FAW and Council set to co-fund 3G pitches at Ysgol Rhosnesni and Ysgol y Grango

Wrexham Council are continuning the roll out of ‘state of the art’ sporting facilities in a partnership with the FAW.

The FAW (Trust) (Club and community facilities funding panel) has agreed a further award of £200,000 to Wrexham Council for the provision of 3G football club hubs – subject to the Council contributing a match funding commitment.

The report before councillors explains Ysgol Bryn Alyn was also on the shortlist and assessed, however “feasibility studies have now taken place at all three sites, and due to the significant amount of preparatory work that would be required at Ysgol Bryn Alyn (likely to cost upwards of £750,000), this has been ruled out for the time-being.”

Cllr David A Bithell, Lead Member for Place, Environment and Transport at Wrexham Council told us: “We have been working with the Football Association trust now for three and a half years, which has been really good work so far.

“This is the next stage of the project, centring around the football hubs, and the community work that’s been ongoing during the last three years.”

“We are looking at rolling out 3G pitches across the county, and the FAW are really, really keen to work with us here in Wrexham, and we’ve developed a really good partnership approach with them.”

Work on four sites already completed was highlighted at Chirk sports centre, Ysgol Clywedog, Ysgol Morgan Llwyd, Queensway Sports Centre – plus work at the Colliers Park training centre.

Cll Bithell added: “This is just part of the journey, I am hopeful in the future, that Football Association will give us the green light to further match fund projects across the county borough.”

Wrexham Council Chief Executive said: “We have a really strong relationship with FAW. They recognise the potential in Wrexham, and how important football is in Wrexham.

“I think we have the highest participation rates in terms of Wales for football. It is an ongoing and long term partnership. We are reaping the benefits and successes of that.

“This also fits part of our wider strategy about ‘spiritual home of Welsh football’, and we are making progress on the Wrexham Gateway with the £25 million that was announced just prior to the pre-election period. We are also are progressing with the National Football Museum, which is reaching the next stage of work where we are now in detailed design work for that.”

Council Leader Mark Pritchard echoed the comments: “I would like to thank David (Bithell) as the Lead Member, Education Lead Phil Wynn, and all the officers that have done the work on this, and obviously, our partners the FAW.:

“So far, we have spent £435,000, and they’ve much funded it. We went on this journey some time ago to working in true partnership to get 3G pitches in every secondary school, and we are on course to complete that.”

“Long may it continue, this is just a piece of the jigsaw really to encourage football within our communities and within Wrexham itself. Of course it isn’t just football, you can play other games on these facilities, you can adapt them – it isn’t just about football, but that’s that’s the driver.”

“These are floodlit state of the art modern facilities that anywhere in this country would be proud of they are fantastic.”