Harps turn sod on new Stadium
Credit:
Finn Harps have confirmed that the sod will be turned on the new Stadium Project at Railway Road, Stranorlar on Monday 12th May. Former Minister for Agriculture Fisheries and Food, Mary Coughlan TD and Minister for Health Promotion and Food Safety, Pat the Cope Gallagher TD, will perform the official sod turning duties on the day.
The Club are indebted to the local Trust, Councillors Patrick McGowan, JJ Reid and Alice Bonner, Council officials, local landowners including the Mart, as well as Ministers Mary Coughlan and Pat the Cope Gallagher, and the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism. The FAI has been particularly supportive, and their advice over the last few years has been invaluable. Different hurdles presented themselves at various stages, but all parties involved have worked towards their resolution.
The Club also acknowledge the key input of the relevant legal representatives who have ensured that legalities have been progressed to the satisfaction of all parties involved. In recent months a number of final key issues have been overcome, with the Trust successfully obtaining court approval for the move as well as obtaining approval for some of the tax issues from the Revenue Commissioners.
When making their decision a few years ago, the club shareholders acknowledged that there was a difficult road ahead, and the responsibility of taking the project forward as far as possible was given to members of the Club's Ground Development Committee. After carrying out the initial technical and financial evaluations, one of the key issues that the committee had to deal with was to secure a commitment that the site at Stranorlar would be available for the project. This was agreed with Donegal County Council with the assistance of the local mart. The next critical issue was planning permission. The Club secured planning permission in April 2005. Then a detailed public tender process resulted in local developers Joseph McMenamin and Sons being selected. The committee then focussed on getting formal funding approval, and this was successfully achieved in April 2007 when the Minister for Sport announced an initial allocation of €750,000, with the remainder of the cost to be funded over the next few years as the project progressed. The recent court and tax approvals now pave the way for a start up on site. The developers are anxious to get on site and initial site works will commence shortly.
The stadium will incorporate 6,800 covered seats, along with an administration building, with modern dressing rooms and all facilities required by UEFA Licensing. A junior pitch for local soccer is also being provided in the first phase. The project will cost over €9 million, and will be located close to the existing Finn Valley Complex. The FAI have designated the overall complex as their Regional Development Centre for the North West.
