Causeway Coast and Glens Council may host free Celebration of Sport at Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre

At a meeting of the Council’s Leisure and Development Committee on Wednesday, January 23, officers said they had been contacted by the Department for Communities (DfC) about potentially hosting this year’s Celebration of Sport event at the centre.

According to a correspondence report, Department for Communities delivers the annual event which “promotes sporting and physical activity opportunities and encourages young people of all abilities and from different backgrounds to participate in and appreciate the wider benefits of sport”.

As this year’s event is due to be held in the borough, Department for Communities’ Active Communities Division has requested that the council consider ‘complimentary’ use of Joey Dunlop Leisure Centre. A spokesperson said Department for Communities had a “responsibility for sport and physical activity in Northern Ireland”, and offered the council an “opportunity to become in partnership with us”.

The correspondence report said: “Since 2013, the Department has hosted one event in each of the council areas, at which young people from the local schools have been able to try approximately 30 indoor and outdoor sporting activities. These include boxing, football, cricket, GAA, hockey, rugby, martial arts, netball, volleyball, canoeing and wheelchair basketball.

“Each year has seen between 600 and 1,500 children attend these events, and they have universally proved immensely popular while providing an excellent day out and opportunity for the young people to experience a new sport or activity.”

The report continued: “Providing the venue free of charge will enable us to maximise the impact of the event and may result in offering a larger range of sports disciplines for local school children to experience and enjoy.

“The Department’s delivery team will cover the necessary arrangements, including the requisite insurances for the event, provision of all sports coaches, and liaise with local schools to secure their attendance."

Council’s Leisure and Development Committee was asked to consider the Department for Communities’ invitation “for the council to become involved in this fantastic event”. Members of Council’s Leisure and Development Committee will now consider the matter.