BUILDING of a €1.5m clubhouse at the Donegal GAA Training Centre in Convoy could begin in mid-2017, but the project will require ‘a substantial investment’.
At yesterday’s GAA Convention in Donegal town, Donegal County Chairman Sean Dunnion, in his annual address, confirmed that planning permission would be sought ‘in the next couple of weeks’.
The Chairman outlined that he hoped for construction to begin in the third quarter of 2017.
The Board hope to have the building completed by the third quarter of 2018.
[adrotate group=”53″]Mr Dunnion confirmed that the cost of this phase of the development would cost €1.5m.
“Due to the scale of this element of the overall Training Centre project, as I have indicated to County Committee on numerous occasions, I want to assure delegates that all the remaining key milestones will be agreed and approved by County Committee as part of the robust Governance Plan that we have in place,” Mr Dunnion told club delegates.
In March, County Committee approved the persuing of the project, a two-storey building that will hold: 7 team dressing rooms; referee changing rooms; medical room; public toilets; stores; gymnasium; administration area; meeting room; multipurpose hall; and a kitchenette.
[adrotate group=”76″]Plans are also in place to erect a covered stand for 200 people at one of the four pitches at the venue.
Donegal Development Officer David McLoone, in his report, outlined recent works to the development.
Pitches 3 and 4 had been handed over to Donegal GAA in September and will be in use from now on.
“It goes without saying that the need for the training centre building has become all the more urgent following the completion of pitches 3 and 4,” McLoone wrote.
[adrotate group=”46″]“The project will require a substantial investment by CLG Dhún na nGall during 2017 and 2018 and will be the final push to get a fully functioning quality training centre for use by all county teams and to relieve demands that clubs have on their facilities. “
Former Development Officer, Michael McMenamin, acting in his capacity as a delegate for the Naomh Padraig, Muff club, criticised the lack of financial figures presented at Convention.
“What funding, grant assistance, liabilities are there?” he asked.
“We could have a situation here where Donegal would spend up to €6million on it, but there is no financial information given.
[adrotate group=”88″]“We know that computer equipment cost us €700 but we don’t know what was spent on the Centre of Excellence. It just doesn’t make sense.
“Ok, the accounts are provided to rule, but the figures should be given here to keep delegates in touch.”
McMenamin had submitted a motion to this effect, but it was ruled out of order.
Responding, Treasurer Cieran Kelly said: “The accounts are based on guidelines from Croke Park.
“Delegates to County Committee have seen what our expenses have been. There are key milestones that need to be met now. There are no issues.
“There is a perception out there that a huge amount of money has been spent on the Training Centre – I don’t think that, at the moment ‘Centre of Excellence’ are great words to use – but there is no over-spending on it.”
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