Rovers aim to have new facilities in place for 2005 season
http://www.unison.ie/sligo_champion/...issue_id=11703
SLIGO Rovers have expressed confidence that the club's new all-weather facility will be in place at the Showgrounds by the start of next season.
Five years ago, Rovers published a three-phase development programme, and the Development Committee says they are satisfied at the rate of progress to date.
According to Chairman of the Development Committee, Ray Gallagher, the full programme could be completed by 2007.
"We are delighted that the first phase of the development plan, the new western stand, was completed within budget to a very high standard. The facility has attracted universal praise from visiting teams, and the success of this project has provided the development committee with the platform to drive other development in the ground," he said.
Impetus
The Chairman recalled that the impetus for the stand project was the success of the local share drive, as supporters committed the vital first £50,000 to get the project under way.
"We would go on to receive substantial funding from the Department of Sport, The Football Association of Ireland and the National League, but it was the initial commitment of our own supporters that kick-started the project," he added.
Mr. Gallagher felt the high standard of the finished stand owed much to the contractor Terry Gannon, (Cedar Construction),with Project Engineer, David Gaule, ensuring the new stand was on a par with any such facility in the League of Ireland.
When the stand was completed, the club immediately started preparing plans for a new all weather facility.
"We started this project by making two decisions, first regarding location, the second regarding quality. In terms of location, we decided that the area behind the Jink's Avenue stand offered the best advantages in terms of space and access. Secondly, we agreed with our Consultants, Horgan Lynch & Co., that we shouldn’t compromise on quality, and we resolved to ensure that the facility would be the best available, " explained the Secretary of the Development Committee, Mr. Kevin Colreavy.
Revenue
"Ultimately this is a commercial facility which will generate revenue for the club; In those circumstances, we wouldn’t offer a product to the public unless we were sure of its high quality," he said.
When planning permission for the development was obtained, the project went to tender, with contract being awarded to Mondo Haffey, who have a proven track record in delivering top of the range all weather surfaces in Ireland and Europe.
"The synthetic grass fibre being used in the Showgrounds is the latest generation all weather surface available. It has been passed by UEFA for competitive fixtures, and Sligo Rovers will have the option of playing its u-21 games on the new pitch..
"The surface is considered the nearest to natural turf synthetically produced, and has won the coveted IS0 9002 quality standard – this was a decisive factor in the club deciding on this surface. One of features of the carpet is that it has a very low injury risk, which is not always the case with all weather facilities., Mr. Colreavy went on.
The new pitches dimensions of 100m x 70m make it the largest eco-fill all weather surface in the country.
In addition to fielding full 11-a-side fixtures, the facility can also been designed to accommodate three smaller playing areas suitable for five and seven a sides. With work due to re-commence on site later this month, the club hope to have the facility delivered by the start of the new season.
Rovers have acknowledged that the project was in abeyance for a couple of months while legal and administrative issues surrounding capital funding were being addressed at national level.
The club has now received a major portion of the grant awarded to it under the Sports Capital Programme, and is agreeing a work schedule with the contractors that should see it completed in Spring 2005.
"We have high expectations of this facility," said Sligo Rovers Chairman Michael Toolan.
"We could have taken the easy option and gone with a standard facility, but we decided to go the extra yard and develop a top class pitch that should prove very popular with local clubs and schools.
Campaign
"With this is mind, we will be undertaking a major promotion campaign early in the new year, and I would fully expect that we will get a very favourable response. Given the number of sports clubs and schools in Sligo and the Northwest, there is a severe shortage of this type of facility in the area. This is a need we intend to address and I expect a very favourable response when we advertise for bookings in the new year, " the Chairman concluded.
When the all weather pitch is completed, the focus of attention will turn to the third phase of the Showgrounds Development Programmer, the construction of a hospitality area.
Chairman Michael Toolan noted that provisional plans were already being prepared for this facility.
"While we are concentrating on completing the all weather facility, we have already prepared plans for the new hospitality area. We see this as a very significant development, and I would expect that we will in a position to proceed to planning stage in early 2005," he said.
Chairman of the Development Committee Ray Gallagher summarised the objective of Sligo Rovers Development Committee by stating that they aimed to transform the Showgrounds into the best ground in the League of Ireland.
" I feel we are well on the way to achieving this goal," he said.
Showgrounds is a fine facility ..
.. in fairness to Sligo, the Showgrounds is one of the better stadia in the EL, and certainly is the best in the First Division. The only other decent grounds there are Buckley and Terryland.
