Win for Ballymena Showgrounds as Council secures funding to develop facilities

​Mid and East Antrim Borough Council is delighted to announce a number of funding applications to make leisure, sporting and arts facilities across the area more accessible to all the community, have been approved by the Department for Communities.

Among the projects which can now move ahead thanks to a total funding award of just under £93,000 is the installation of Braille signage and push button doors on the lifts at Ballymena Showgrounds, meaning more people can avail of events at the flagship sporting venue.

The Showgrounds includes a multi-use Stadium which has hosted many major football and sporting fixtures, as well as corporate functions and conferencing events.

Council also recently entered into partnership with the Irish Football Association (IFA) to create a Mid and East Antrim IFA Hub, while the venue has been selected by the IFA to host a number of European Football Qualifiers for Men’s U19, U21 and Ladies international teams.

The new Braille signage and accessible lift doors will allow for the venue to be inclusive to all, and follows Council’s engagement with The Cedar Foundation, a charity which supports people with a disability to have equality of access in all areas of life.

The £29,400 project, which has been funded under the Department for Communities’ Access & Inclusion Programme, will complement Council’s ongoing commitment to ensure the services and opportunities it provides are open and available to all.

Alderman John Carson said: “Ballymena Showgrounds continues to be one of Mid and East Antrim’s flagship sporting venues, so it is very welcome news that Council has been able to secure funding to make this first-class facility accessible to everyone.

“This is further evidence of Council’s commitment to delivering some of the best opportunities to participate and spectate at sporting events on an international stage right here in Mid and East Antrim, and the community can be very proud of those efforts. Well done to all those involved in bringing this forward.”