BONAGEE United will open ‘Old Foundry Park’, a new training facility, this week.
Bonagee United acquired the nine-acre site at Knockbrack from the O’Donnell family earlier this year.
Picture: Gerard O’Loan (committee member), Mark Patton (assistant groundsman), Damian Callaghan (treasurer), Niall Callaghan (chairman) and John Lafferty (secretary) with Bonagee United’s plans at Old Foundry Park, which will open this week.
Old Foundry Park will be used as a training base for some of the club’s teams.
Once the site was handed over, Bonagee United sourced the services of William Coyle and the team at Pitch Dimensions whose work have enabled it become football ready.
Bonagee United has 18 teams under its banner from under-8s to Ulster Senior League.
“With over 300 players registered at the club, Bonagee United felt we needed to explore options for a new training base,” Bonagee United Chairman Niall Callaghan said.
“The new facility at Old Foundry Park will compliment our existing pitches at Dry Arch Park and Goose Green.
“We are very proud of the fact that we are the only club fielding teams at all grades and Leagues in our catchment are.
“The club caters for players, male and female, of all ages and new faces are always welcomed.”
The Covid-19 lockdown allowed for some important works be carried out to the site.
An access road and a car park were constructed and now the first of the club’s squads will utilise the facility this week.
Mr Callaghan said: “The club is growing all the time and we have to make sure we are in a position to cater for all of our numbers.
“We would hope to add some changing facilities to Old Foundry in the near future.
“Bonagee is fortunate to have a dedicated, hard-working committee whose efforts have all allowed us acquire our new facility.
“This development will help us to strengthen our links with and position in the local community.”
Bonagee United groundsman Laurence Gildea said: “The club is extremely grateful to Gerard and Seamus O’Donnell for their part in allowing this to happen.
“The O’Donnell family have a long association with Bonagee United.
“I remember the days when the Lurgybrack Schoolboys teams used to play on land owned by the O’Donnells on the Cullion Road.”
Bonagee field teams in the Ulster Senior League and Donegal League as well as the Donegal Youth & Schoolboys League, Donegal Womens League and, until action was ceased this year, the North West Womens Super League.
Old Foundry Park adds to Dry Arch Park, which houses a full-size grass pitch and two astro turf pitches, and Goose Green, which has a full-size grass pitch and a grass area for training.
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