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PRESS RELEASE Wes Brown to open Grove Village five-a-side football pitch and play area
The new facility is part of a £100 million housing PFI project which is transforming the inner-city housing estate of Plymouth Grove into a sustainable, mixed-tenure urban village. The PFI project is being delivered by Grove Village Ltd, a consortium comprising of MJ Gleeson Group, Harvest Housing Group and Nationwide Building Society, on behalf of Manchester City Council. Wes has very close links with the area because he grew up on the estate during the eighties before being signed to Manchester United; he still has family who live in the area. Before Grove Village Ltd stepped in there were no play facilities for young people on the estate. The five-a-side football pitch and children’s play areas, one for under fives and one for under 12s, will be welcomed by youngsters living in the area.
“Housing PFI is about more than just bricks and mortar improvements to local people’s homes and the building of new houses for sale; it’s also about creating a community where people are happy to live, work and play.” Wes, who lived on the estate for 18 years and attended St Chrystomas Primary School, said: “I hope the kids take pride in their new five-a-side football pitch and spend hours playing and improving their game. I would have loved to have a pitch like this on my door step when I was growing up here.” Wes will join Ardwick ward councillor Bernard Priest, Ian Perry and local children for the official opening of the new five-a-side football pitch and play area on Wednesday 3 January at 1.30pm. Wes will blow the whistle and join in ball skills with local children. The nine local children will each receive a Grove Village football shirt and a signed football by Wes. Gleeson Building, part of the MJ Gleeson Group, has installed the five-a-side football pitch and play equipment as part of the regeneration project. The regeneration of Grove Village includes the refurbishment of housing owned by Manchester City Council, new build properties for sale, massive infrastructure change, creative environmental works, the construction of a new village centre and extensive time and resources invested in the local community through the dedicated Neighbourhood Management Team. |
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Manchester United defender and local hero Wes Brown will officially open a new five-a-side football pitch and play area for local children at Grove Village, Ardwick, today (Wednesday 3 January, 2007).
Ian Perry, chairman of Grove Village Limited, said: “Following consultation with local residents it became clear there was a need for more facilities for young people in the area.