A new 3G pitch and community football centre has been opened in Letchworth.
FA chairman Greg Clarke offically opened the new facilities at Hertfordshire FA’s County Ground headquarters yesterday.
The new artificial grass pitch replaces the old grass pitch which was used infrequently and prone to water logging. It will allow for a variety of training sessions and matches to take place week in week out – without concerns of damaging the pitch.
The new community football centre is a modern venue including a cafe, large function room and the addition of two extra changing rooms which are also designed to support usage of the public grass pitches situated opposite the site.
The new facilities will be used by the Hertfordshire FA for coaching, refereeing, first aid and safeguarding courses, as well as by numerous community teams.
FA chairman Mr Clarke said: “Parents introducing their children to football want to know that there is a good structure with excellent coaching available, and facilities like this to allow kids to come and learn the game and play it all the way through to retirement.
“The whole community in Hertfordshire, at all stages of life, can now come together to play football at one hub.”
Karl Lingham, Hertfordshire FA’s CEO, said: “One of our goals at the Hertfordshire FA is to increase the quality and quantity of football facilities, providing more opportunities for all to play the game.
“This is the fourth new all-weather pitch to open in Hertfordshire since the start of this season. These facilities will help to significantly increase the number of people who are able to play the game on a regular basis, delivering valuable benefits to the local community in terms of health and wellbeing for many years to come.”
Work began in October 2018 after the Hertfordshire FA recieved a grant from the Football Foundation for almost £800,000.
Paul Thorogood – chief executive of the Football Foundation, the largest sports charity in the UK – said: “Taking part in community sport at any level offers many benefits and rewards, not least the opportunity for people to enjoy themselves and socialise with different members of the community.”
To find out more about grassroots football in the county visit hertfordshirefa.com.
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