Floodlit Wexford Park a major aim of plan
Almost €3m allocated in ‘Ar Aghaidh Le Chéile’ for next phase of Ferns project
IMAGINE A possible scenario down the line when Saturday night home matches in the Allianz Leagues will be the norm for Wexford.
Think of the novelty value of attending a big game on our own patch under floodlights, not to mention the likely economic boost it would give to the main county town.
Well, if one of the key goals in the new Wexford GAA strategic plan is realised, that will be happening sooner rather than later.
After dealing with the twin themes of coaching and player development last week, the first item to be considered here is infrastructure.
The over-riding goal as outlined in the plan is simply to provide first-class facilities for players and supporters.
The document points out that Wexford GAA’s infrastructure has been hugely developed over the past half-century, ‘virtually all of it funded through local GAA community endeavour’.
‘All our clubs now own fit-for-purpose pitches, all have changing facilities, many have two pitches, walking tracks, and six have match-quality floodlit provision.’
It adds that major GAA fixtures in Wexford are a very important part of the games programme and contribute significantly to the local economy.
‘Chadwicks Wexford Park remains a major asset but requires development to enhance player and spectator experience.
‘Wexford GAA are disadvantaged by not having access to a third level campus with high-level GAA facilities similar to many of our competitors.
‘The development of a floodlit all-weather pitch in our county town is a priority to ensure that we can grow our participation numbers and assist with fixture planning during times of inclement weather.’
The third targeted area in this section of the plan is the County Board’s partially-developed Centre of Excellence in Lodgewood, Ferns.
This project ‘continues to fulfil its planned role of helping drive Gaelic games at all levels’.
‘However, it is now a requirement to upgrade the facility to future proof it to the highest level.’
A major fundraising drive will be required to tackle all three infrastructure-related projects head on, because the plan states it will cost €5,000,000 in total to achieve each and every target.
There are six specific facets involved in the upgrading of Chadwicks Wexford Park, with the fourth quarter of 2023 set as the desired completion date.
The total projected cost of this area of the plan is €1,270,000, and it will include an upgrade of the playing surface to reflect current inter-county standards.
The pitch has been a bone of contention on a pretty regular basis since the venue was re-opened for games in 2001 after a four-year shutdown for extensive development work.
Accordingly, getting this aspect of the plan right is absolutely essential and would most definitely be regarded as money well spent within the GAA community.
The ‘Ar Aghaidh Le Chéile’ document also outlines the intention to refurbish the dressing-rooms and the changing room for referees under the main stand in Chadwicks Wexford Park.
The internal office lay-out will also be re-designed, while the refurbishment of the press box – something that has been mentioned in passing to journalists on a regular basis over the years – looks like it will finally be happening.
The refurbishment of the terrace area and the toilets will also take place, but the major item that supporters will pay particular attention to is the installation of floodlights.
This stand-out ambition of the plan will, of course, be subject to planning permission and the availability of sufficient funding.
While the €1,270,000 involved in bringing this aspect of the plan to fruition is, indeed, a considerable sum of money, it still pales into insignificance when compared to the €2,800,000 pencilled in to advance the Centre of Excellence and Inclusion project.
Phase two of the work is scheduled to get under way this year, subject to the lifting of current restrictions, and it will involve the development of a new entrance for traffic directly off the main N11 road that links the village of Ferns to Enniscorthy.
The work planned for 2021 also entails the development of a fifth pitch, complete with spectator-viewing area, along with an additional portion of land for training.
And the County Board’s inclusion project, geared towards making the Ferns venue a welcoming spot for everyone, will gather pace with the development of a sensory garden.
Those three items are due for completion by quarter three in 2022, and then an additional three areas will be tackled with the goal of having the work done by quarter one in 2025.
An additional car park will be developed in that second phase, as well as the completion of a high performance gymnasium and the construction of additional dressing-rooms.
No content just to rest on their laurels and make optimum use of both Chadwicks Wexford Park and the Centre of Excellence, the County Board is also determined to develop a 4G pitch.
The total projected cost is yet to be outlined, but it is proposed that the work will be done by quarter three of 2023.
The intention is to construct the pitch in Wexford town, and to do it in conjunction with an educational partner.
The plan adds that this pitch ‘will be accessible and playable twelve months of the year and will further enhance the development of GAA within the county’.
While this will be the newest facility available to the County Board, one of the oldest – and most frequently used – is St. Patrick’s Park which has been part and parcel of the sporting scene in Enniscorthy since the early 1960s.
A sum of €70,000 has been devoted to the upkeep of the popular venue in the plan, with quarter three in 2025 set as the final date for a floodlighting upgrade along with dressing-room and toilet refurbishment plans.
No doubt more than one reader is probably thinking, ‘that’s all well and good, but where’s the money going to come from in such trying times?’
Well, that’s where the third theme explored in the plan comes into play, as ‘Finance and Fundraising’ is clearly fundamental to the implementation of everything else.
The goal is to ‘work with our commercial partners in a professional way and continue to invest in developing our games’.
‘We will ensure that we have appropriate financial controls in each unit, always get value for money, protect our assets, have the appropriate resources to achieve our aims, and have clear lines of responsibility and accountability throughout the Association, integrated with the role of the County Treasurer and other officers.’
A county audit and risk committee will be established with an independent chairperson to support the Treasurer and the county management committee in all financial matters.
The leader of this body will provide a report on the committee’s activities and observations to the county executive at least once in every quarter.
And the chairperson will also provide an annual report to the GAA’s financial management committee, and will report any significant concerns, as soon as the audit and risk committee becomes aware of issues to be dealt with.
A commercial steering group is already in place and its work is ongoing. The aim is to provide commercial and strategic advice to the management committee as an appointed sub-committee.
The County Secretary (to be appointed later this month) and Commercial Manager will meet with the group every fortnight with updates provided to the management committee.
Cáirde Loch Garman will be the driving force behind a fundraising plan to be launched to outline how to maximise income to cover the county’s investment in coaching and physical development.
This body will produce an annual calendar of fundraising events and programmes, following on from the recent club team of the year awards which proved an engaging activity for the GAA public throughout the month of February.
Cáirde Loch Garman will also provide value to members through benefits to encourage renewal, and will also work towards recruiting new members no later than the third quarter of this year.
If circumstances allow, a key objective for the body will be the staging of an annual open day with the Wexford Senior hurling and football panels in Chadwicks Wexford Park prior to the commencement of their respective championship campaigns.
The audit and risk committee will put a firm focus on best practice, annually reviewing governance standards and recommendations from the national finance committee with regard to financial governance.
The need to connect with the Wexford diaspora has also been highlighted. By quarter two next year, the commercial steering committee has one of its chief aims to ‘grow our USA Friends of Wexford GAA group to over 100 people and extend our patronage scheme to 20 members’.
And by quarter four in 2022, it is hoped to expand even further by introducing an overseas friends of Wexford GAA group.
We have yet to explore the areas of games programme and refereeing; culture, community and club development; health, well-being and inclusion; and PR and communications as outlined in ‘Ar Aghaidh Le Chéile’.
There has been a broad welcome for the plan, and it was favourably received by key club officers when the details were outlined by new County Chairman Micheál Martin on Monday of last week.
A firm undertaking has been given to ensure that the plan will be implemented, rather than gathering dust whenever the games resume and on-field activities take over.
It has been promised that this topic will be on the agenda of all County Board and management meetings, with a progress report on two themes per meeting. Officers will also reference their relevant actions in their report to Convention on an annual basis.
The Co. Chairman and Secretary will also be responsible for a review of the county committee and sub-committee structure, to be completed by quarter three this year.
‘The committee structure of County Board will fully reflect best practice and will maximise talents within the county,’ the plan states.
‘Sub-committees will have clear terms of reference and will circulate minutes of meetings to ensure synergy between each group.
‘There will be an open call to recruit volunteers to county committees. Staggered term limits will ensure a regular infusion of new talent on all committees.’
The management committee have been set with the task, by quarter two this year, of developing a ‘Grow our Wexford Gaelic Games Volunteers’ strategy. This will be done by the elected officers identifying and inviting specific people to fill specific roles and bring specific skills.
They will use time limits to avoid burn-out and tiredness, and encourage an acceptance and promotion of officer turnover at all levels.
Constant support will be offered for volunteers via training, and there will be public acknowledgement and celebration of their vital role.
Another focus of the management committee for the second quarter of 2021 will be the officer and staff structure of the County Board.
Terms of reference and job descriptions (using national GAA templates where available) will be drafted and circulated for all committees, staff and officer posts.
Local personnel will liaise with HR in Croke Park to put in place a staffing structure that reflects Wexford GAA’s needs and best practice.