Major developments at Fermoy GAA grounds in motion
Phase One of what is expected to be major developments at the Fermoy GAA grounds has begun with a planning application submitted to Cork County Council for the development of an all-weather playing pitch including a hurling wall and associated fencing.
According to Brendan Keane of Fermoy GAA, the new all-weather pitch is to be a half-size pitch of 8x37 metres located where the existing sand pitch is.
“This is, what we hope to be, the start of a much bigger development,” Brendan told TheAvondhu.
The application seeks the demolition of an existing open-air stand including ancillary site works.
Associated surrounding fencing, ball catching nets, floodlighting and a car park are also included in the application for the development at Fitzgerald Park.
“We have submitted the planning and hope to start work before the end of the year,” Brendan added.
It is expected that once planning for the development is approved, physical works on the site will begin in September or October of this year.
The club is also planning for further developments once Phase One works on the all-weather pitch have begun which involves a three-year plan for the development of the grounds.
In late 2020, Brendan had announced that the all-weather pitch and redeveloped dressing rooms, indoor hall and gym are were being laid out by an architect to be finalised and agreed upon.
At the time, funding models were discussed and Brendan noted that the club is ‘fortunate to have potentially a high level of support’.
DRESSING ROOMS
The next phase of the ongoing developments to meet the increased needs in the area, Brendan told TheAvondhu, is the redevelopment of the dressing rooms. Growth in population locally has seen a growth in Fermoy GAA Club, which necessitates an upgrade to the existing facilities.
“We are planning for the redevelopment of the dressing rooms with a second storey including a spectator area and a space for meetings. The catalyst for this is that Fermoy is a growing club and a growing town. We have seen a growth in population and in national schools,” Brendan added.
Brendan also pointed to the strong Fermoy Ladies Football Club which amalgamated with the GAA club in 2019, as well as the development of a camogie club in the past few years.
The all-inclusive one club is now home to senior ladies football, hurling and gaelic football as well as juvenile teams and camogie.
This busy and increasingly successful one club has seen greater demands on the Fermoy GAA grounds, leading to these major development plans.
“We hope to have the all-weather pitch completed early next year and at that stage, we should have more plans finalised for the development which we hope to start in 2022,” Brendan added.
Brendan further pointed out that while Sports Capital funding has been sought by the club, the planned works include ‘significant investment’ and will require further fundraising.