School's €1.24m sports project plan

Paul O'Meara
By Paul O'Meara
Published 27th May 2024, 20:33 GMT
Deputy principal Rory Purcell, Ella Houlihan, Colman Campbellplaceholder image
Deputy principal Rory Purcell, Ella Houlihan, Colman Campbell

The facility will also have a community use

The lack of availability of playing pitches poses a huge problem for sporting and community organisations in the Naas area. To meet the needs of local clubs, a secure floodlight pitch capable of accommodating GAA, soccer or rugby and with proper changing facilities is to be built in partnership with Naas GAA at Naas CBS.

The facility will be available for use by pupils, Naas GAA members, and by an array of sporting and community groups.

It will provide a better-quality environment for both students and the broader community to train and play and it'll allow the school and clubs to increase their participation programmes and enhance the sporting experience for all. placeholder image
It will provide a better-quality environment for both students and the broader community to train and play and it'll allow the school and clubs to increase their participation programmes and enhance the sporting experience for all. 

Emma Toner parents council, dep principals Leo Murphy, Annmarie Corcoran; principal Ben Travers; deputy principal Rory Purcell and Tim Mulvihill.

The proposed development will provide for closer links between the 1,000 student school and community bodies and principally with the Naas GAA who have identified a major requirement for additional all weather playing facilities. The club has over 1,600 playing members with 90 teams. 

 However, with just four natural grass playing fields and no room for expansion, the club struggles to meet the needs for matches and training. This is further impacted by limited floodlighting capacity and pitches closed due to weather conditions or need for pitch recovery periods for seven months of the year (October -April). The project will increase the area of facilities available to Naas and there will be additional hours for use by other local sporting groups, the details of which are yet to be worked out.placeholder image
 However, with just four natural grass playing fields and no room for expansion, the club struggles to meet the needs for matches and training. This is further impacted by limited floodlighting capacity and pitches closed due to weather conditions or need for pitch recovery periods for seven months of the year (October -April). The project will increase the area of facilities available to Naas and there will be additional hours for use by other local sporting groups, the details of which are yet to be worked out.

Alice Lamont, Emma Toner, Maebh Ní Cléirigh, Tim Mulvihill, Frank Murphy, Sinead Harvey, Rioghnagh Bracken, Bríd Gallagher, Niall Duffy, Martina Cleary, David Creighton, John Lennon.

The budget cost of the pitch and floodlighting is approximately €1.242m million and major fundraising initiatives are underway to help raise the required capital.

A further phase will propose refurbishment of the changing rooms, including the provision of a ball wall and all-weather warm-up area. Basketball courts, additional toilets and an accessible shower/toilet/changing room to meet both community need, and the mixed gender needs of the GAA partnership.

To fund the project a grant of €150,000 has been secured, €200,000 is being contributed by Naas Town Council and Naas GAA is contributing over €300,000.placeholder image
To fund the project a grant of €150,000 has been secured, €200,000 is being contributed by Naas Town Council and Naas GAA is contributing over €300,000.

Fundraising is underway and a GoFundMe page entitled, ‘Help Build All-Weather

Sports Facility at Naas CBS’ (https://gofund.me/075a790f) has opened.

There are a small number of premium advertising opportunities also remaining. Sponsorship enquiries can be directed to the committee, by sending an email to [email protected].

Related topics:Naas GAANaas
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