Armagh Harps

SIF provided funding of £1.7million for the construction of a new sports facility at Armagh Harps GAC to provide a fitness room, sports hall, changing and toilet/shower facilities, cafeteria and space for other community services such as exhibitions, community group meetings, seminars and workshops. The facility will provide greater access to a wider range of leisure, social, educational and sporting opportunities.

Project Name:

Armagh Harps

Zone:

Southern

Category:

Capital

Social Investment Fund Outcome:

Increasing Community Services

Status:

Operational – Construction Complete

Funding awarded:

£1,796,117

About the Project:

The project involved the construction of a two-storey, purpose-built community/sports hall and the refurbishment of the existing training pitch with a synthetic carpet in Abbey Park, Armagh. Capital works included a fitness room, changing rooms, toilet and shower facilities, meeting rooms on the ground and upper floor, a lift facilitating wheelchair access, a conference & social area, a viewing gallery and kitchen/cafeteria section for the benefit of the local community many of whom reside within recognised areas of disadvantage and social deprivation. The new facility currently delivers a range of much needed services including leisure, health and wellbeing and community events in a safe and integrated environment to the local community. A mental health and wellbeing programme, arts club, afterschool hub and a range of sporting activities are among the new services on offer. The new facility will also offer local schools, local businesses and local voluntary/community groups’ access to fit-for-purpose accommodation with an Irish medium pre-school already in situ.

Progress to date:

This project has completed construction and is operational.  The new building infrastructure has allowed increased access to a wider range of leisure, social, educational and sporting services for those in the local area and the wider SIF Southern Zone. The project will help to increase collaboration & partnership, improve access to and enrich the lives of a greater number of people on a cross community basis, thereby, improving their health & well-being as well as promoting good relations within and between local communities.

A number of short films on Social Investment Fund projects and outcomes have been produced.  Below is the link to a short film, that highlights the construction/improvement works to facilities funded in the SIF Southern zone, including the Armagh Harps project:

Impacts

Monitoring and evaluation of all Social Investment Fund projects is carried out using “Outcomes Based Accountability” (OBA). Where SIF has funded capital works, the project provides quarterly “post-capital” data for a period of 3 years which details the positive impacts enabled by the capital works undertaken. The final capital infographic below highlights some of the key impacts of the project to date. The Armagh Harps project is in the early stages of post capital OBA returns and final capital infographic is attached below.

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