WIDESPREAD disappointment has greeted the announcement that the iconic Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium has closed.
The venue, known as “the working man’s track”, was closed with immediate effect by the Irish Greyhound Board (IGB) ahead of a planned Valentine’s Day event.
The board said the decision to close the stadium at Harold’s Cross, which was first opened in 1927, was taken in light of plans to relocate all greyhound racing activities in Dublin to Shelbourne Park.
The IGB added that 12 staff at the stadium would be offered relocation options following the decision and that the weekly racing programme at Shelbourne Park would be expanded to four days per week.
“The legacy debt burden which the IGB has been struggling with has necessitated the sale of Harold’s Cross Greyhound Stadium,” Orla Strumble of the Irish Greyhound Board said.
“The sale of Harold’s Cross was recommended by the Indecon Report that was commissioned by the Government in 2014.”
Ms Strumble added: “It can also be confirmed that Savills PLC have been retained to provide strategic property advice around the future sale of the stadium.”
The interim CEO of the Irish Greyhound Board, Dr Sean Brady, stressed that the closure was “unavoidable” but that the board “acknowledges the long and proud tradition of greyhound racing at Harold’s Cross.”
Cllr Anne Feeney (FG) said news of the closure had come as a great shock to the local community, to employees, greyhound owners and the many people who have enjoyed fun nights out with family and friends at the stadium.
Cllr Feeney called for the stadium, if it is sold or rezoned, to become the site of a “badly needed” secondary school for the growing number of new families in the area.
“A total of 12 full-time staff will now lose their jobs over this,” said Peter Dooley, a member of People Before Profit who says he spoke to staff.
“I believe they are members of SIPTU and have been given the opportunity to relocate to Shelbourne Park. Part-time workers such as bar staff and kitchen staff that rely on jobs at Harold’s Cross to pay for college and accommodation are now stuck.”
Deputy Sean Crowe (SF) described the closure of the stadium as “appalling”.
“People are just in a total state of shock right now,” he said. “More details will probably emerge in the coming weeks. It is unprecedented what has happened in this community.”
Deputy Crowe added that the stadium should be kept as a sporting facility as there is a “need for resources like this” in the local area.
REPORT: Andrew Ralph