CONSTRUCTION of a long-awaited spectator stand at the Grosvenor Community Centre football pitch got under way this week.
The 51-seat stand is the latest upgrade to the facility, which is home to Immaculata Football Club.
Earlier this year, the pitch was resurfaced as part of £2million city-wide funding boost from Belfast City Council.
As well as recent addition of perimeter fencing, the new £20,000 stand brings the venue to Irish FA Intermediate standards and will allow Immaculata FC to advance to higher leagues in years to come.
Grosvenor Community Centre Manager, Tina Black, said: "We're delighted because we can offer more support to the schools for their sports days, and more support for our own services in terms of children and parents having a place to sit.
"It will also bring the playing field up to Intermediate status, which means it's nicely future-proofed for the teams as they advance through the leagues.
"We've got a lot more women's teams using the pitch now like Belfast Celtic and St James' Swifts, so it's advancing in that capacity, and then we have our multi-sport usage.
"We have our Change Programme which is engaging men and women in mindfulness, movement, and meditation, so any extra amenity on the pitch is also an extra amenity for them."
Martin Foyle from Immaculata FC said: "For the seniors, the pitch will now be recognised so they can play at an Intermediate level.
"But for our kids it's very, very important. Even the thought of kids playing in front of a stand, it gets them going and gets their enthusiasm up.
"It's just a different environment down there. It used to be an all-weather pitch and it's now top-of-the-range 4G pitch and we've got a stand. People can now come and watch us play. It just makes it that wee bit better than what we're used to.
"It's good to see it happening after all these years."
