New field of footballing dreams
The UK’s newest junior footballing academy will be formally opened in Liverpool on Friday (November 6).
Thanks to a £3m development a once boggy field in South Liverpool has been transformed, boasting some of the finest junior football facilities in the amateur game.
Built for the Belle Vale Junior Football League the new Reggie Smith playing fields will boast:
Four fully-drained junior pitches
Three mini-soccer pitches and a training area
High quality designed changing rooms
Accessible toilets and showers
An education suite
Meeting room and kitchen facilities
Car park
New public open space
Improved highway works
The development is the result of having to relocate the league from their existing facilities to house the new Gateacre Community Comprehensive School as part of the Liverpool Building Schools for the Future (BSF) Wave 6 programme.
The completion also means Liverpool City Council, which is leading the city’s quest to be a Host City for England’s 2018 World Cup bid, has invested over £18m in football pitch improvements and new changing provision since 1999.
Councillor Warren Bradley, Leader of Liverpool City Council, said: ‘’The new Reggie Smith Playing fields is a fabulous facility and with the education suite is worthy of the all-round academy approach of the professional game. I’m sure it will provide a fantastic platform for many future generations to enjoy a healthy, active life and hopefully for some to become future stars of the beautiful game.
"Our bid to be a World Cup Host City for England is built on maximising the role football can play in our communities and we intend to keep investing in the sport to ensure our youngsters have a chance of competing at the very highest levels.’’
Belle Vale Junior Football league, which was formed in 1975, has been hailed as a beacon of best practice by the Football Foundation having grown from 300 registered players in 20 teams in 2003 to 1,200 players in 84 teams today. The league also boats the national Under-13 Tesco Cup winners and U-14 Liverpool County FA champions.
John Coggins, Secretary of the Belle Vale Junior League, said: ‘’Everybody in the league is delighted with the new Reggie Smith playing fields. The quality of the pitches, training facilities and education suite is truly exceptional and will be of immense benefit to the local community. Hopefully the youngsters in the area will have the enjoyment of playing on these fields for many years to come.’’
Glendale Liverpool Limited and their specialist sub-contractor Souters Sports Limited was the main contractor for the pitch and open space works, with the main pitch design of the site carried out by Professional Sportsturf Design.
Yearsley Limited was the main contractor for the construction of the pavilion and car park works, with the main architectural planning and design of the site carried out by 2020 Liverpool.
Mike Kearney, Project Manager at Liverpool City Council’s Sport and recreation Services, said: ‘’This was a very challenging project especially when you consider that the existing site at Caldway Drive was of poor quality with very bad drainage.
‘’The site is a complete transformation from 12 months ago and it is through the massive efforts of our Joint Venture partners Glendale and 2020 Liverpool together with our external advisors and contractors that we have been able to provide these fantastic facilities’.
Lee Davies, Technical Advisor at the Football Foundation, added: "This is an excellent facility that will make a real difference to the local community. The Football Foundation has invested £10.3m into projects across Liverpool since 2000 and we will continue to support the development of the city's community sports."
