Aberdeen Football Club has today announced that the new community sports hub and football training facilities will be named Cormack Park, in recognition of vice chairman Dave Cormack’s transformative contributions to the project.

The lifelong Dons fan, along with his US-based investor partners, has raised a significant proportion of the £12m build costs for the community sports hub and professional football training facilities. Additional investment from the local business community and a substantial outlay from the Club have completed the fund-raising for this part of the project.

Cormack Park, which will officially be opened on 31 October 2019, is the first phase of the Dons’ two-phase project which includes the new stadium.

The park is home to the Bobby Clark Football Academy and the AFC Community Trust and features a training pavilion, groundsman’s accommodation, three professional training pitches, two floodlit 3G pitches and two grass pitches. There is also outdoor and indoor space for a variety of community-based sporting and recreational activities.

Commenting on the announcement, Mr Cormack said: “My family and I are honoured to be recognised in this way and to be part of such a huge milestone in Aberdeen Football Club’s history.

“Cormack Park will provide much needed purpose-built and best-in-class training facilities for AFC players and coaching staff. As well as helping attract and retain talent, it will serve as an excellent community engagement base from which to inspire future generations for years to come.

“It is an essential component for AFC’s future success, on and off the pitch, and its impending completion marks a crucial time for the club as it looks to capitalise on these fantastic facilities and progress with phase two. My thanks go to Tom Crotty, Roger Lee and my other investment partners for the contributions they have made to this project.”

In 2017, Mr Cormack pledged £1million from his family charity, The Cormack Foundation, towards the community facilities, and stated that this was solely to provide benefits for the wider community, through AFC Community Trust.

He added: “Through the Trust and using the power of the AFC brand and the passion for football, the Club has built affinity with the community that these new facilities will further strengthen. The Trust positively touches the lives of thousands of people of all ages and from all walks of life, with 160,000 participations, half of which are non-football related.

“This, in turn, has a huge impact on individuals, society and the economy and these wider benefits are key drivers in our family foundation’s support.”

Mr Cormack joined the AFC board in 2017 when he became a major shareholder. He was appointed as vice chairman in December 2018 and has been responsible for helping the club prepare for a new era, building on the strong off-the-pitch performance, growing revenues through new marketing initiatives and fundraising for the community sports, training facilities and new stadium.

Chairman Stewart Milne said: “Dave is passionate about the Club and his input has helped propel AFC into a new and very exciting period as we look to complete the first phase at Kingsford in the coming months. It is important at this time that we also recognise the significant contributions made to the project by Bert McIntosh, Willie Donald and Mike Loggie.

“As well as his financial contribution, Dave is a committed ambassador and has been instrumental in ensuring the future vision and success of the club through his fresh perspective, innovation and business acumen.

“I think it’s only right we recognise his efforts and thank him, Fiona and their family for the continued, invaluable support. I am sure others will agree that naming the facility Cormack Park is a fitting tribute to Dave’s contribution to the club.”