DÚN Laoghaire Rathdown County Council has welcomed €5 million in funding that will contribute to a multi-sports building, civic amenities and library for the Samuel Beckett Civic Campus.
The Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport said the funding will come from the large Scale Support Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).
Phase 2 will expand on the initial phase of the project which was completed in 2016. It will include a multi-purpose sports building, including sports hall, a children's and 25m swimming pools, a dance studio and gym, a two-storey library, a car parking facility and a hard landscaped Civic Plaza.
This new multi-sports building will build on the success of Phase 1 which includes a community building, three grass sports pitches, three astro football pitches, a children’s playground and skate area.
The sports building’s design complies with NZEB (Nearly Zero – Energy Buildings) standards and incorporates solar panels on the roof.
Further funding of €5.25 million was also granted for a multi-sport campus at St Thomas, Tibradden Road, adjacent to Marlay Park.
Supported by the council, Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club and seven national governing sports bodies, the centre will feature an outdoor 400-metre running track, an indoor sprint track, a multi-use gymnasium and other high quality indoor and outdoor amenities for gymnastics, archery, fencing, cycling and triathlon, as well as Special Olympics facilities.
Moving from having few dedicated facilities to a top-class multi-sport campus, these sporting bodies will now have the opportunity to train and produce athletes in a range of disciplines who can compete on the international stage, while also reaching a wider public.
In addition, the multi-sport nature of the project, which involves clubs sharing the facilities, will see synergies between the various sporting bodies which will bring about mutual enhancement and will lead to a greater participation in sports by people in this part of the country.
Speaking of the two funding announcements, the cathaoirleach of Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Cllr Shay Brennan said:
“I am very pleased that both the Samuel Beckett Civic Campus Phase 2 in Ballyogan and the St Thomas Multisport Campus at Tibradden are approved for funding under this scheme.
“Both projects will provide local residents and those further afield with the most modern sports and recreation facilities in the country.
“This is in line with the council’s aims of enriching quality of life through the provision of amenities to further develop vibrant communities while working closely with local stakeholders.”
On the funding for the multi-sports project at Tibradden, Declan Ryan, Chairman of Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club, added: "We are delighted to have partnered closely with Dún Laoghaire Rathdown County Council, and to have the critical support of several national governing bodies for sports to reach this key milestone on our journey towards having a top class multi-sport campus with an athletics track that is available to minority sports clubs and the general public.”
Cllr John Kennedy (FG) also welcomed the funding announcement as a major breakthrough for the project's progression.
"The award will go towards a multi-sport campus including a multi-sport gymnasium, hall and an indoor sprint track area. The outdoor area will include track and field facilities as well as a jogging trail around the site and a specialist outdoor archery area.
“The total cost of the project is set to be €10 million."
Cllr Kennedy added: "I submitted a number of council motions at various stages of the proposal as I believe that this project has the merit of serving to boost the potential of athletes in terms of their competitiveness.”