Community teams across the North East have taken advantage of Aberdeen Football Club’s new Cormack Park facility, with more than 2,000 people on site since the start of the year.
The £12 million has provided much-needed networked educational services for local clubs, adding Westdyke Community Club, East End FC, Aberdeen West End, Middlefield Wasps, Newmachar United and Inverurie Locos on the Highland League side.
The Kingsford Community Sports Centre, Training Facility and Football Academy feature an educational hostel, groundskeeper’s accommodation, 3 professional education courts, two lighted 3G pitches and two grass pitches.
They have proven invaluable to the Westdyke Community Club, which has 23 other players and more than 500 players ranging in age from five to adults.
The club’s vice secretary, Gillian Robson, said: “We were badly needing something like this in the area where people of all ages can be active and get outside.
“Training at Cormack Park is a brilliant experience. The courts are spacious and our coaches have more flexibility during their sessions.
“We have a lot of young players who are Aberdeen fans, so for them to work out at Cormack Park is a dream come true.
“They love sharing a facility with the first team. It’s a really inspirational setting and has given us a huge boost.”
Cormack Park opened in October 2019 and is home to the Bobby Clark Football Academy and the AFC Community Trust.