Permission sought for Park floodlights

THE INITIAL steps towards upgrading Chadwicks Wexford Park have been taken by the county management committee, writes Brendan Furlong. County Chairman, Derek Kent, on behalf of Wexford County Board, has made an application to Wexford County Council for the installation of what will be state of the art floodlights for the stadium.

The application states that it is seeking permission for the erection of four 32m high floodlighting masts, with 26 floodlights per mast, to be located at each corner of the pitch.

The application is also seeking permission for an extension to three ground floor dressing-rooms, while it also seeks permission for the erection of a permanent programme-selling kiosk.

Also included in the application is permission being sought for the construction of disabled toilets at ground floor level.

The development will not take place until 2021 should planning permission be received from the County Council, and it remains to be seen if there will be any objections from local residents.

Should floodlights be installed, it would open up the grounds for weekly club championship games, while it would also facilitate the county in holding both National hurling and football league matches on a Saturday evening.

Wexford G.A.A., who had contemplated a complete overhaul of the playing pitch in the county grounds, have also decided to defer this course of action.

The playing surface has been a contentious issue ever since the re-development of the grounds and its re-opening in 2001 after four years’ work, and over recent seasons it has deteriorated considerably.

Earlier this year the County Board had intended closure of the grounds following the provincial championships in order to have a total resurfacing of the pitch.

But given the pandemic which has resulted in lockdowns throughout the world, the G.A.A. - like all sports and businesses, etc. - was brought to a standstill since March 12.

And now, given the importance of having the club championships up and running on the last day of July, leading into the inter-county championships, County Board officials have decided to defer any course of action on the grounds until 2021 when it will once again come up for consideration.