2010 the aim for Harps' stadium

Finn Harps hope to be playing in their new stadium for the start of the 2010 season, it has been confirmed, with the Donegal club set to turn the sod on the ambitious development on Monday afternoon.

New Tánaiste and Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Employment Mary Coughlan, along with Junior Minister Pat the Cope Gallagher TD will perform the official sod turning of the project at Railway Road, Stranorlar.

The club's Ground Development Officer, Patsy Lafferty, has said that the developers could be on site by the end of June and that the project could be completed to allow the club move in before the kick-off of season 2010.

It is now three years since the stadium plans were confirmed and backed by the club's shareholders on 31st January 2005. Initially the club expressed the hope that they would be playing in their new stadium by 2007, but after long and protracted legal dealings, the project is finally about to see the physical work begin.

In April of last year, Harps confirmed that funding of €750,000 had been approved. Planning permission had been obtained in 2005 while approval to proceed to tender was given by the FAI in early 2006 with local developers Joseph McMenamin and Sons subsequently having their tender approved.

The recent court and tax approvals have paved the way for a start up on site and the Donegal club confirmed in a press release this week that the developers 'are anxious to get on site and initial site works will commence shortly'.

Patsy Lafferty, who has been on the Ground Development Committee since its inception in 2001, outlined that the club's initial plans were to erect a new stand at the existing Finn Park. "We done work with getting planning permission for a new stand, but financially it just wasn't viable to proceed with that and we then moved on to the current project.

"It has taken a long time, but we're very close to getting started. The whole thing in relation to the Trust, the Club, the Developers and the Council meant that we just had to make sure that we had everything stacked up and that we had cover everything before we go on site."

Mr.Lafferty said that it was now only a matter of 'finalising the formalities' and developers could be on the site and working by the end of June. Harps will remain in their existing abode on Navenney Street until their new stadium is fully complete.

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.