Club Development Plans expand in Egremont
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7th December 2007
EGREMONT Rugby Union Club is to undergo a massive £500,000 development.
It is the first major improvement in its 130 year history. Work started on the new facilities at the club last week and is expected to be complete by November. It marks the end of 10 years’ hard work for project leader Ian Marr, a Sellafield employee and former player at the club. Mr Marr, who works in nuclear decommissioning, said he is glad the work has finally started. He said: “This is a great time for our club. It has been here since 1877 and this work is the first major improvement we have had in all that time. “There were times when I wondered if it was ever going to happen, and we have had to overcome hurdle after hurdle, but thankfully we are getting towards the finishing line now, and when the work is completed I am sure it will have been worth the effort.” When the work is carried out, the club will then have some of the most impressive facilities in Cumbria including a flood-lit all-weather training area, new changing pavilion and improved drainage facilities. Mr Marr added: “Our existing facilities have served us well but, to be honest, they have seen better days. “At the moment we don’t have any female changing rooms for example, but after the work is complete, we will be able to accommodate girls and boys. We hope that local schools and other clubs will take advantage of the development. We are a rugby club but we want the facilities to be used by the wider community, the town really needs a development like this.” Sellafield Ltd gave the club a grant of £5,000, the Rugby Football Union pledged £147,804, with a further £80,000 coming from West Lakes Renaissance. Copeland Council also helped the scheme get of the ground with a £17,000 grant from its Coalfields fund to enable the ownership of the ground to be transferred to a new limited company. The rest of the funds came from Sport England. Stewart Kellett, regional director of Sport England, said: “We are delighted to be supporting Egremont RUFC with £325,000 for new facilities which will significantly improve the opportunities for more people to get involved in their local club and into regular sport and activity. “We have some superb rugby clubs in our region, and new or returning players are assured a warm, friendly welcome.”