North Cork Fine Gael Councillor John Paul O’Shea recently invited his colleague, Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation, Minister Heather Humphreys TD, to Banteer Community Sportsfield following the announcement last month of €1.128 million in Rural Regeneration & Development Funding for new facilities.
The funding will help towards ambitious projects at the sportsfield, including the construction of a regulation-sized Astroturf pitch, a covered spectator stand, changing rooms, toilets, a state-of-the-art lighting system and meeting rooms.
Cllr. O’Shea said he was delighted to welcome Minister Humphreys to Banteer to view the existing sportsfield facilities, meet with locals involved in the plans and officially present the €1.128 million cheque.
Cllr. O’Shea said: “Already the facilities at Banteer Community Sportsfield include sports pitches, children’s playground, walkway with lighting, pond field, hurling wall, changing rooms, toilets and seated area.
“It was clear that Minister Humphreys was impressed by the existing facilities and by the group’s plans to add to that, which will be possible given the significant funding through the government’s Rural Regeneration & Development Fund.
“Listening to the club’s members speak of their ambitions, not just with this planned project, but with future projects which are being hatched all the time, was very heartening.
“Rural communities like Banteer can grow and thrive when the community itself comes together and proactively works to take the plans they have on paper and make them a reality. Banteer can stand up as an example of what can be achieved when communities come together,” he said.
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