Birmingham sports hub set for upgrade to boost Commonwealth legacy

Plans for a £500k upgrade to a community sports facility in Perry Barr have been confirmed, with the aim of strengthening the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games Legacy.

A new Multi-Use Games Area (MUGA) will be developed at Holford Drive Community Sports Hub in the months following the Games, jointly funded by Sport England and Birmingham City Council.

The current sports hub attracts around 800 people a week from Perry Barr and the surrounding areas to participate in a range of sporting activities.

These attendances however fall to around 300 during the winter months due to a lack of facilities that can be utilised during the darker nights. The project’s proposed addition of floodlights is predicted to at least double the current winter use of the facilities.

A total of £366,685 of National Lottery funding is being contributed by Sport England with the Birmingham City Council element of the Birmingham 2022 capital budget supplying the remaining £150,000.

Cllr Ian Ward, Leader of Birmingham City Council, said: ‘As I’ve said all along, the legacy of Birmingham 2022 is massively important to us – the Games are more than 11 days of sport and we need to look at how we build on the years of good work provided for the community by brilliant organisations like Holford Drive Community Sports Hub.

‘The ongoing transformation of Perry Barr includes up to 2,000 new homes and we need to ensure improved infrastructure and facilities, such as those provided at the Hub, are available to the increased number of people that will call Perry Barr home.

‘This project will help us achieve that, ensuring that many more people can lead active and healthy lives.’

John Crabtree, Chair of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, added: ‘An important part of the Games Partner legacy plan is an ambition to increase physical activity and wellbeing and the investment that is being made at the Holford Drive Community Sports Hub is a great example of the work that’s being done to achieve this aim.

‘This is another example of how Birmingham 2022 and its partners are trying to ensure that the Commonwealth Games leaves lasting benefits for the people of the host city.’

Photo by Sandro Schuh