Wraps to be taken off new Halkirk football pitch
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
The £500,000 Morrison Park will be officially opened on Wednesday, July 31, when Halkirk United take on Clachnacuddin in the first round of the North of Scotland Cup.
But the village is also looking to score off the pitch as it aims for a hat-trick of new developments within the next few years.
With funding from retired pharmaceutical executive Andrew Sinclair and the Halkirk District Benefit Fund – established by NPower Renewables which built a 24-turbine farm south of Spittal – it is hoped a new sports centre and vintage motor museum can be built.
Halkirk United chairman and community council member Billy Manson hopes the opening will answer critics who said the plans would not happen.
He said with tourism set to have a growing importance in the local economy, Halkirk can play an important part in bringing visitors north.
“The opening of Morrison Park is a tremendous boost and the next thing we are looking at is a vintage motor museum and sports complex, which we are working towards getting funding for,” he said.
“It would be a big boost for tourism and, along with John O’Groats and the cruise liners coming to Scrabster, a vintage motor museum would be a major attraction.
“It is quite an exciting time and shows people things are moving into place. We are showing that with money in place, we are using it.”
The pitch has been funded by Mr Sinclair, who grew up in Halkirk before starting his own business in the south of England and pledged £1,280,000 to the village for developments.
He will officially open Morrison Park at the North of Scotland Cup tie. The park has a state-of-the-art pitch, floodlights and two enclosures with changing rooms expected to be completed within two years.
Mr Manson said the club’s main aim is to join Wick Academy in the Highland Football League and with an introduction of a pyramid system believed it could become a reality.
He said the ambition of the club matches the ambitions for the village as a whole.
“At the end of the day, our main aim is to be invited into the Highland League. We have to be asked to join but with the new pyramid system and having a stadium in place, we think our chances have improved,” he said.
“Wick Academy have been in the league for almost 20 years and are now making a real impact, so hopefully we can achieve something similar if we get in.
“The stadium was the first part of the project and now that is complete, we want a sports centre and vintage car museum but it is all about getting the funding in place.”
An unofficial match between Halkirk United and Halkirk FC will take place next week at Morrison Park but no date or time has been confirmed.
