St. Mary’s plan all weather training pitch in the Rocks
PLANNING HAS been submitted to Wexford County Council for the construction of a general sport and recreation ground at St Mary’s of Maudlintown GAA Club in The Rocks.
The club hopes to secure permission for an all weather training ground that will benefit both their members and students from local schools who use the ground regularly.
The application also makes provision for the installation of fencing, lighting, power, drainage and a small coffee kiosk with associated changes to the paths and trails, including widening access along the existing path for emergency vehicles.
The application is part of a wider plan to further develop the area in the future.
Club Chairman Barry Kinsella explained that the area in question is about 60m by 50m and their aim is to install a training pitch that will be used by the club and also by pupils from the CBS and Faythe schools.
The club, he said, had been victims of their own success in that there was considerable de- mand for the pitch and they hoped that a training ground would alleviate some of the pressure on their sole pitch.
‘ This is part of the overall Rocks plan and we’re aiming to develop the trails around the area, install picnic areas and, generally speaking, turn it into more of a park, and that will combat other issues such as anti-social behaviour as well. The more people that are using the area, the better it is. This isn’t just a development for the GAA but the whole area and the local community.’
He said they were hopeful of securing planning and, if and when that happened, they planned to apply for Sports Capital Grant funding for the development.
They had, he added, already applied for recreational grant funding in the hope that they could make the trails around the rocks wheelchair and buggy friendly.
‘We’re hoping to hear back on that very soon. There is a lot of waste area in The Rocks that could be developed but it’s one step at a time. We’ll do our bit and the council and the locals have given us great backing.’