Larne Academy of Sport: Regenerated community facility opens

The venue, formerly known as The Cliff, has undergone significant redevelopment thanks to a multi-agency partnership involving Larne FC, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Sport NI and dedicated members of the local community under the stewardship of Bertie Shaw from the Seacourt area.

Sporting figures from the region, including former Northern Ireland players Gareth McAuley, Keith Gillespie and Michael Hughes, gathered at the site alongside Julie Nelson, Claire Taggart and Trevor Ringland to see media personalities Joel Taggart and Liam Beckett cut the ribbon and officially usher in a new chapter in Larne’s rich sporting history.

Larne FC owner Kenny Bruce MBE addressed those in attendance, outling how this is “only the beginning” and that “there will be many more occassions” like this in the future.

Speaking to the Larne Times, Mr Bruce, who took over at the Inver Park club five years ago, said: “At the start we had a document ‘aspire to inspire.’ It had four key goals and so far we have met 97 per cent of these objectives. We now have new objectives, outlined in our ‘For the Town’ document. Over the next five years there will be many more opportunities for the club to develop.

"The Larne Academy of Sport is all about community. Seeing the children and young people here today with the smiles on their faces makes me very proud. This facility will help the next generation develop. Something like this has never been seen in the town before.

"I am very hopeful that it will help produce more success on the pitch for Larne FC and the other sporting groups who will avail of it. It is a great environment.

"The Academy is game-changing for the whole borough. We want to see all sports and all generations being able to enjoy it and we want people to be inspired.”

He added: “There has been great support from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Sport NI, our trustees and all our staff. Everyone has pulled in the same direction and made the vision a reality. It was a magnificent effort.

"There has also been fantastic support from political representatives, from local councillors and MLAs up to East Antrim’s MP, Sammy WIlson.

"The buzz around the place today will be here every day, with sporting and community groups making the best use of the facilities.

"The guests here were brilliant. It was fantastic to see so many people in the hall, Distinguished guests from the worlds of politics and sport and members of the community at the heart of it all.

"We also need to thank the previous trustees and staff for the work they did.

"But this is only the beginning. A feasibility study has been carried out and we are hoping to acquire more land and develop more. There is a lack of sporting facilities in the town and we’re wanting to fix this. There are some very exciting plans for the future.”