Bangor youngsters plea for help to save football pitch

Mar 10 2010

A NEWLY formed football team is calling for their home pitch to be cleaned up and protected from future development.

City Pumas in Bangor play on Beach Road field, Hirael, which organisers say is the only pitch in the area they can afford to play on.

The club pays £160 per season to use the field but organisers say they are far from happy with its condition.

It has become a target for vandals, with broken glass and dog excrement littering the field and youngsters illegally driving on it.

Part of a playing field created to commemorate the death of King George V, the pitch is used by many local teams.

The Pumas started in August. They have 30 players and want to expand.

Under 11s secretary and coach Ian Griffiths, 31, of Glasinfryn, said: "We have been in touch with the council before about the state of the pitch. There’s been bottles smashed in the goal mouth.

"Council leisure workers look after it. They tell us they’ll get it sorted, then the following Saturday it’s the same.

"We are a new club. It’s our first season. It’s all voluntary. We’re trying to do something for the kids to stop them being in the house playing on games consoles."

He said the pitch also needed to be protected as a sports facility.

"It’s the only pitch in Bangor. There is a serious shortage of playing facilities in Bangor already, so losing the Beach Road pitch would be a huge loss.

"It is the only football field that is half decent for us to play on as Tan y Bryn is always waterlogged and the university – which has six football fields – wants £18 per hour for their field."

The former Dickies boatyard, adjoining the pitch, is already earmarked for development, and Mr Griffiths wants assurances the club’s ground is safe.

Goronwy Owen for developer Watkin Jones said: "We have plans to build 72 flats and houses on the former Dickies boatyard but that does not include the playing field."

Gwynedd Hirael councillor Jean Forsyth said the playing fields were safe for "at least four to five years".

On the litter problem, a Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: "The football pitch is used on a regular basis by a number of local clubs, and a full renovation programme is undertaken every year to bring the pitch, including goal areas, up to standard before the season starts, and an ongoing maintenance programme is followed during the football season.

"Council staff undertake weekly health and safety inspections of the football pitch to ensure that it’s free of litter, that the goals are anchored safely, that the pitch is cut to standard and marked.

"The council is also in discussion with the police to tackle anti-social behaviour in the area and resulting litter. We also urge all dog owners to clean up after their dogs."

A Bangor University spokeswoman said: "We are prepared to assist wherever possible by making our sporting facilities available to the community, and there is high community demand for these.

"We offer minimal, subsidised rates to local community groups. The provision of public recreation grounds is a responsibility that lies with local authorities."

Anybody who would like to help or sponsor the Pumas can contact Ian Griffiths on 07810 107192.