New Finn Harps stadium will be complete before club moves, AGM told
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BY CHRIS MCNULTY
FINN Harps’ new 6,600 seater stadium in Stranorlar will be completed before the club moves into its new home, shareholders at last night’s AGM heard.
‘Significant’ progress has been made in recent weeks with structural work, in the form of the main stand, visible for the first time.
While some club sources had hoped the club could relocate once the 1,954-seater main stand – which houses dressing rooms and administration facilities – was completed, shareholders heard last night that the development must be finished before Harps can turn the key of the door.
“The agreement between all parties is that the stadium must be completed before Finn Harps moves over,” Stadium Development Committee member John Meenan told a low-key AGM in Jackson’s Hotel, Ballybofey.
“To change that would mean a complete re-negotiation of the contracts. As we stand it will be completely complete before the club moves over.”
A deal was struck with developers – Joseph McMenamin and Sons – which will see them granted ownership of the current Finn Park. By the end of this summer in excess of €1million will have been spent on the project.
Mr Meenan said: “The stadium is now showing real signs of progress. The plan is that the west stand will be completed by September and we have high hopes that it will happen. This progress is significant.”
The AGM in what is Harps’ 60th year was attended by just 24 people.
“It is a very disappointing turn-out for an AGM,” acting chairman Sean Quinn said.
“It wasn’t an easy year for the people involved.
“It was a tough year; the end of the year was very tough. It was probably our worst season in thirty-two years.
“We need a stronger board and we need a bigger board. There is a lot of help needed for a lot of jobs around Finn Park.
“This is not a Ballybofey club – it is a Donegal club, a north-west club and we’re appealing for the help of the whole area.”
Harps record a small trading profit of €1,114 for the year ending November 30 2013, their books boosted considerably by the €24,024 received for the transfer of former player Stephen McLaughlin from Derry City to Nottingham Forest last January.
“Without that, you would be looking at a significant loss,” accountant Seamus Devine warned.
Harps saw training facility expenses rise by €10,000, wages took a €20,000 increase from 2012, while meals, travel and accommodation jumped by around €7,000.
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
It's all good news.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Any more pics of how things are going?
Drove by and saw crane, shouldn't have pulled in too look, anyone near for more pics
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
Here's the last one I saw.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
Will hopefully get a picture in the next week or two of progress, but far as I know, not much has changed structurally in the past few weeks. A bit of work gone into the admin block, but by christmas the main stand should be next to near complete from what I was told, obviously weather dependent too.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
https://www.facebook.com/finn.school...25763547539682
Full set of photos posted today here. 27 in total. Really progressing on now.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Really starting to take shape now. Is it full steam ahead or are they waiting on the drawing down of funds to complete it? All going well you'd think the 2016 season might be realistic to move into it?
Word on the next drawdown is due in October and should be full steam ahead on the second stand for the start of 2015 with the main stand in the latest pictures to be as good as completed by around Christmas.
If all goes to plan, and work continues on schedule, there's a possibility of 2016, but it's looking more realistic to be 2017.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
Roof of the main structure hoped to be in place by the end of the year. Focus at the minute is on the main stand and admin block which will house most of the main facilities in the ground including dressing rooms, tv gantry, press boxes, offices and shop.
The next thing that'll be visible to public from the outside will be the roof however.
1 million spent already.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Hope it's finished in time for your promotion to the premier league in 2016 season
Much progress since the XMAS break or has it stalled ?
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Anymore new pics of progress ?
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
Not sure there has been much progress recently. Hopefully we'll get a further allocation in the next round of sports capital grants to get motoring again.
#NeverStopNotGivingUp
We were due to have the roof on the main stand by now, but waiting on the next draw down of grants is a bit like waiting for your missus to get ready for a night out.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Been to all the home Games so far except one as Rovers were in Derry, crowds are getting bigger by the Game, not a great atmosphere of singing or any Ultra stuff but i would guess this will improve in new ground.
Mad Club don't update info on stadium progress as there was so much progress last year
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
Atmosphere tends to be much better away from home as not enough 'active' people congregate in one area in Finn Park. As crowds improve though atmosphere will too, hopefully, but already this year it's a damn sight better than it has been for the past number of years. For a few years Finn Park was like a ghost town, a lot of which can be attributed to a lack of any away crowds too.
There's an update due on the stadium at the clubs AGM in a couple of weeks time.
This was the latest picture I saw, back in March, and it's safe to say, not a huge amount has gone on in the last few months.
Last edited by nigel-harps1954; 29/04/2015 at 1:40 PM.
https://kesslereffect.bandcamp.com/album/kepler - New music. It's not that bad.
Would be great to get in for next season especially now Club is attracting larger crowds, i was impressed with crowd at Shels Game except Shels who brought 7 or 8 supporters and loads of young lads buying merchandise which is essential for Club. Govt have given there allocation to FAI which i hope will spill down to Harps ASAP for Roof.
Better grounds attract bigger crowds like Tallaght, Turners X
We are the SR the SRFC.......
Part time Finn Harps too :)
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