A new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) will be officially opened to the public at Tim Smythe Park in Ennis today Monday (2 September, 2013) at 12.30pm. Ennis Town Council entered into a contract with Crawford Contracts Group Ltd. in 2012 for the all-weather sports facility, which features a polymeric surface than can accommodate a wide variety of sports and games through the use of multifunctional goals and nets.
Soccer, basketball, netball, tennis, hockey, hurling and volleyball are among a wide range of games that can be played on the MUGA. The concentration of this MUGA is one that will particularly suit basketball.
Speaking ahead of the official opening, Mayor of Ennis, Cllr. Mary Coote-Ryan welcomed what she described “another welcome addition to the town’s growing recreational infrastructure.”
In the past two years we have seen numerous positive developments take place in Ennis in relation to the development of play facilities for children. These include the installation of active trail equipment and a skateboard park at Lees Road and the development of a children’s playground, teen play area and other recreational equipment at Tim Smyth Park. I believe that the provision of a MUGA at Tim Smythe Park is appropriate having regard to the location at the centre of the town and its established use by many families from all over the County.”
Mr. Tim Forde, General Manager of Active Ennis Sports & Leisure Facilities said: “Multi-use games areas are one of the most popular additions to municipal parks, playgrounds and open spaces due to their incredible versatility and they offer a very cost effective answer to a wide variety of sporting needs. The newly installed outdoor recreational multi-sports equipment will provide a concentrated and enclosed area for ball sports that will turn enable smaller children to play uninterrupted in the existing playground.”
Ennis Town Clerk, Mr. Leonard Cleary commented: “The Council’s ongoing investment in sport, recreational and cultural facilities is helping to further enhance Ennis as a place to live and visit.”
He continued: ““In recent years, great progress has been made in the provision of recreational facilities in Ennis. Involvement in sport and active recreational is important throughout life as it has a positive impact on our health and well-being. Ennis Town Council, through Active Ennis, has developed numerous high quality public leisure facilities and would urge members of the public to visit www.activeennis.ie to find out more about the available facilities in the County Capital.”
Tim Smythe Park, formerly known as The Fair Green, now features a wide range of sports and leisure amenities including a children’s playground, outdoor gym equipment, teen play area, two playing pitches and one training pitch, a 400-metre running track, MUGA, and perimeter walking paths.
Active Ennis manages six separate leisure facilities in Ennis, including Tim Smythe Park, Lees Road Sports and Amenity Park, Ennis Leisure Complex, Coote Park, Glenina and Gordon Drive. The Active Ennis brand will also be formally launched next Monday at 1pm in the Active Ennis Leisure Complex.
For more visit www.activeennis.ie.
