GAA pitch gets go ahead in Waterside after 40 years of campaigning

by Gráinne Connolly

Derry City and Strabane District Council (DCSDC) has given the green light for a new GAA pitch and facilities to be built for Na Piarsagh Doire Trasna GAC in the grounds of the former Immaculate Conception College. 

Work is now expected to get underway in the next couple of weeks, after the project received unanimous backing from Councillors at Wednesday's DSDC meeting. 

The proposed development has been welcomed by local Councillor Christopher Jackson who says a campaign for the pitch dates back to the 1970's, as Na Piarsagh Doire Trasna GAC are one of the only clubs in the county of Derry that doesn't have their own pitch: 

Councillor Jackson says that the late Martin McGuinness, former leader of Sinn Féin played a vital role in making this pitch a reality due to the Social Investment Fund (SIF) driven by Mr McGuinness. 

In his words, "Martin realised the impact projects such as this would have in communities and I would like to congratulate all those on the SIF board who shared Martins vision."

The site for the new GAA pitch at the former Immaculate Conception College is located of Trench Road in Derry-Londonderry and is immediately adjacent to and north-east of the Top of the Hill Country Park. 

The area measures 3.4 hectares and will be accessed via a new access point from Corrody Road to the north-west of the proposed site. 

Plans for the land involved the upgrading of the existing football pitch from all weather to a grass surface, upgrades to flood lighting east of the site, new flood lighting and additional landscaping, and a single story changing unit that will be positioned to the new access from Corrody Road. 

(Aerial shot of site proposed for the Na Piarsagh Doire Trasna GAC football pitch at the former Immaculate Conception College)