[W]orkington Town and Workington Reds could soon be benefitting from new sporting facilities it has been announced.
The two clubs have jointly approached Allerdale Borough Council to discuss potential options for developing first rate facilities in the town which will really put the area on the sporting map. Speaking at the Council’s Civic Dinner on Friday 23 March 2018, Cllr Alan Smith, Leader of the Council announced that the Clubs and Council had held positive discussions in recent weeks and had begun to explore the possibility of working together on a project.
Speaking at the Civic Dinner, Cllr Alan Smith, said: “We know how important sport and leisure are for our communities as well as how facilities like the new leisure centre in Workington make an area more attractive and boosts growth and of course improves health for all.
So I was really keen to work with Workington Town and Workington Reds when they jointly approached us to explore how we can develop facilities that will not only benefit their players and supporters but also strengthen their businesses. We also want to inspire local talent and young players into the games, and sport in general.
We share their ambitions to really put this area on the sporting map. Discussions are at an early stage and all options are on the table, including the possibility of sharing a ground. Locations or designs are yet to be decided, but wouldn’t it be fabulous if we were to build something that will attract major tournaments such as the Rugby League World Cup in 2021 – which was such a great success when it came here before.”
Malcolm Allison from Workington Town RLFC said: “We’ve had some exploratory but positive talks with both the Council and Workington Reds on the future of both clubs. We are thinking positively about what we can achieve. I’m sure that there’ll be a lot of decisions to come and at this early stage nothing is ruled in or out. It’s therefore important that we actively engage in this collaborative process.”
Mike Rollo from Workington Reds, said: “We have ambitious plans for the club and want to really enhance the experience for the fans – so it is really great to see the constructive support from Allerdale and Workington Town. We’re really keen to explore, with our supporters, the options available to us so that we can continue on a successful path and inspire home-grown talent.”
