COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, March 27, 2018

MOTION NO. 14

MOTION: Councillor D. O'Brien

"That this Area Committee calls on the Council to work with Lucan Harriers to find funding to provide a new perimeter fence around the new running track."

 REPORT:

South Dublin County Council applied for funding to DTTS under the 2015 Sports Capital Programme for an athletics track at the Council's Esker Park, Newcastle Road, Lucan. An award of €200,000 was made and works are now progressing on the project which costs in the region of €500,000.

The shortfall between the cost of the project and the grant is being funded by Lucan Harriers. In exchange for club funding SDCC is entering into an Annual Management Licence with the club so that they can use and enjoy the asset while they honour the terms of the licence.

An application for boundary fencing for this project was submitted under the 2017 Sports Capital Programme but this was unsuccessful. In the interim, and before the works recently commenced, there was an option to reduce the specification of the track surface and include a boundary fence. This option was presented to the club but the club opted to proceed as per original specification.

Currently, regrettably, there is no additional funding available for this project through public realm budgets but it is hoped that a further application can be submitted to DTTS under the next call for applications under the Sports Capital Grants, which may be opening quite soon.

Similarly, there may be an opening under the Council's Community Department's Community Infrastructure Fund which is due to open from Monday 19th March 2018.

This is a fund of €250,000 which offers Community Groups (including Sports Clubs) the opportunity to apply for funding, to assist with the costs of either constructing new Community Facilities or for the modernisation and/or expansion of existing premises.

The fund will consider funding requests from a minimum of €5,000 up to a maximum of €30,000, and groups applying must demonstrate proof of match funding of up to at least 50% of the total amount of funding being sought.

The Fund will be advertised and open to receive applications from Monday the 19th of March and the closing date is 13th of April at 4pm.