A NEW £1.1 million sports complex near Valley Parade will give a help give an uplift to Manningham, says one of its councillors.
Funding has been secured for the Midland Road Sports Complex, attached to the existing BEAP Community Partnership building on Cornwall Road. This is currently used for a host of sporting activities for the community in Manningham, an area which has suffered from funding cuts for such services over recent years.
The new complex will include changing rooms, a pavilion, cafe and two 4G football pitches for five and nine-a-side matches.
The derelict MUGA site of Lupton Street Park, a tarmac sports pitch, has attracted anti-social behaviour, including vandalism and the lighting of fireworks over recent weeks.
Funding for the project has come from the Football Foundation, the Premier League, the FA and government’s charity that helps communities improve their local football facilities through football grants; the Power to Change charitable trust, Sport England and Bradford Council.
Bradford City Community Foundation, the club's charity, has teamed up with BEAP on the project, which they hope to use for its community activities throughout the week as well as on Bantams' matchdays.
Work is due to start on the complex in January next year and be completed by August 2021.
It is scheduled to be open in time for the 2021-22 season, when it is hoped fans will be allowed back into stadiums like Valley Parade if Covid restrictions allow.
The complex's vision will include a fan zone where Bantams supporters and their away counterparts can interact before kick-off at Valley Parade, including using the 4G pitches for matches between fans.
Councillor Sarfraz Nazir (Lab, Manningham) says the new complex will give a boost for people in the area.
He said: "100 per cent it's an uplift. Not just Manningham but areas across the district. It's fantastic.
"I don't think Manningham is as bad as people perceive it as.
"The area has suffered from services for children that they can get access too becoming victims of funding cuts.
"The perception people have of it outside of Manningham. The negative press of Manningham is unfounded.
"One of the gems of the Bradford district area is Lister Park, which is in the Manningham ward, which people like to visit."
Humayun Islam, BEAP chief executive, who has helped spearhead the project, says he hopes the new complex will boost Asian children's participation in football and possibly lead to them playing for the Bantams in the future.
He said: "I would like thank our partners and funding body for their fantastic support.
To turn this piece of derelict land into a modern sporting facility is what the community needs
"It's fantastic. It's unbelievable. This is fantastic news for Bradford. It's really exciting. It has taken four years to get to this stage.
"It's an area that has been vandalised.
"It will include a Bangla Bantams cafe, where we will be offering volunteering and apprenticeship opportunities.
"It is going to be a community cohesion area. The complex will be a good way to bring the community closer to Bradford City."
Shahidur Rahman, Midland Road Sports Complex programme lead, said: "It has been a long journey.
"Manningham and Bradford will have a fantastic modern community facility which will encourage grassroots participation in sports and encourage a healthier lifestyle."
News of the sports complex has been welcomed by Bradford City, with officials saying it will boost the Bantams fans' matchday experience.
Ryan Sparks, the club's director of communications and commercial, said: "We're delighted it has gone through. It is a huge boost for the area.
"It is good for the local community and it will be a massive for us as a football club.
"We take feedback from supporters very seriously and there is an overwhelming desire to have an area to come together to meet.
Beyond Covid, there will be a desire like never before for people to communicate and get together
"It is coming to fruition at a good time. The centre will enhance the matchday experience.
"I'm delighted for them and they deserve a massive amount of credit for their commitment they have shown to the community and the city as a whole."
Ian Ormondroyd, Bradford City Community Foundation chief executive, says the complex will offer a boost to the community around Valley Parade.
He said: "The programme will be a fantastic facility right on the doorstep of Valley Parade and we will be partnering up in many ways with the new facilities.
"We plan on matchdays to have lots of activities going on, maybe including away supporters, and providing a package for different activities prior to a match and then supporters attending the game.
"During the week we hope to use the facilities for our work here at the foundation including the disability club, Bradford City Girls our NCS programme and the Football and Education Scholarship programme, our Fit Bantams programme will also run from there as well as inviting schools to do PE and onsite education.
"We can also run our Premier League programmes there, including Kicks, and Reading Stars. We are really looking forward to the joint venture."
Bradford Council says the new complex will 'breathe new life' into the existing facilities at BEAP's site.
A Council spokesman said: "Bradford Council have been supporting BEAP in this exciting project to breathe new life into the facilities on Midland Road.
"The Council are looking to support the initiative through the adopted Playing Pitch Improvement Programme, both projects are supported by the Football Foundation and the FA."
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