St Conleth's Park

They could turn a sod and leave it to dry out for years. I’ll believe it when I enter through the new turnstiles, look at the new dressing rooms, as I watch by towards the “members lounge”, which overlooked a Croke park sized pitch.

Hurlerbehindtheditch wrote:

End of 2017 for the Club House building and potentially 2020 for the development of the new stand. New stand would bring the capacity up to 13K+. Planning is the big issue for floodlights. Dont expect to see floodlights on the horizon anytime soon.

More then 6 years have passed and nothing,

An article is in the times today which outlines that funding for sports capital projects (Conleth’s) was slapped down by the Dept of Finance.

Conleth’s was specifically mentioned as estimated costs have gone from 10 million to 16… and probably still rising.

I won’t be drinking a pint in the “member’s lounge” anytime soon. Despite whatever hot air the county board spout.

Was there plans to have a multi functional event hosting room as part of the plans to redevelop Conleths?

Any plans to have a cafe or bar open every day?

Or was it still basically open on match days and closed at all other times?

I see there will be some announcement in the coming weeks about the start date. Its straight out of certain football clubs playbook. Bad defeat, release some news about the ground redevelopment. Keep the plebs distracted.

Rex wrote:

I see there will be some announcement in the coming weeks about the start date. Its straight out of certain football clubs playbook. Bad defeat, release some news about the ground redevelopment. Keep the plebs distracted.

100% Rex. I'll believe it when I see it. I spoke to a chap working in St Conleth's park last year and he told me It'll never happen that it's nothing but a pipe dream, a fantasy.

Remember years ago they were going on about building a new state of the art stadium in Great Connell. They could have sold St Conleth's to developers and made a fortune at the time.

This lad?

TommyKeegan wrote:

This lad?

That's the one, Tommy.

I think we can all agree that a Greenfield site would have been the preference. Middle of Newbridge is a nightmare for club games never mind intercounty matches. The usual shortsighted nonsense.
Was it not all the old die hard BS about Conleths being the spiritual home and all of the that crap. If you were picking a location now for a stadium you literally couldn't pick a worse spot. Grand if you're from Newbridge though I suppose.

Normally even a rundown ground would have some love, but I think anyone who goes to matches around the country is just sickened by Conleths. I'd have no issue with a greenfield site but we have missed the boat a few times.

Also, if we are using Hawkfield for games, can we not have a footpath out the town to it or some form of safe route?

Herrity said after hurling game yesterday that conleths was out after 6 weeks ?

An announcement about and announcement

https://www.kildarenow.com/news/sport/1035311/kildare-gaa-green-light-on-st-conleth-s-park-redevelopment-expected-within-weeks.html

Thank the lord club championship is taking out of Newbridge. Much better when the games being held in neutral venues in between the clubs.

NorthernLily89 wrote:

Thank the lord club championship is taking out of Newbridge. Much better when the games being held in neutral venues in between the clubs.

Clane will be used quite a lot this year for the championship

Great news about the announcement about the announcement.

Honestly, for a county with Kildare's ambitions, it's great news.

Spoiler:

Press conference being held in the Osprey hotel Thursday regarding the redevelopment of St Conleth’s Park.

We’ll have a venue and no team at the rate we’re going 🫣

Is it tonight the big announcement about gaa pitch ?

The deal is signed. 27th March is start date

REDEVELOPMENT OF ST. CONLETH’S PARK
The long-awaited redevelopment of the Kildare GAA Grounds in Newbridge took a major step forward today with the signing of a contract with The Elliott Group for the reconstruction of St. Conleth’s Park. Construction will commence on Monday March 27th next and will continue for a period of 18 months. The Grounds will be completely closed during construction and reopening is anticipated in time for the County Finals of 2024.
The Project includes the complete demolition of the existing stand and dressing room block to be replaced by a new entrance plaza, a new 3000 seat stand which will house dressing rooms, officials changing rooms, Club Kildare Lounge, multi-purpose rooms and shops. The pitch will have state of the art floodlighting and the full capacity of the newly developed Grounds is expected to be circa 15,000.
The pitch redevelopment will include relaying of the playing surface, installation of an irrigation system and extension/widening of the pitch dimensions to 145m x 85m.
The Project is being grant supported by the Government’s Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF), GAA Central Council and GAA Leinster Council. The balance of the funding is being provided by Kildare GAA through its own resources, borrowings from Bank of Ireland and a €4m contribution through the Government’s IIP Scheme.
Mick Gorman, Kildare GAA Chairperson, said ‘’It is a momentous day for County Kildare. We have been working on this Project for several years and have encountered many obstacles and delays compounded by Covid and rising inflation. We have persevered and have finally succeeded in achieving this significant milestone. This will be a major step forward for Kildare GAA and also for the town of Newbridge.’’
Darragh Elliott, Managing Director of The Elliott Group, said ‘’We are really excited at taking on this signature Project for Kildare GAA and are looking forward to mobilising on March 27th. We look forward to working with the Design Team and with the Kildare GAA officials to ensure that we produce a County GAA Grounds to be a source of pride for all Lilywhites’’

Notes to the Editors
1) The main contract with the Elliott Group is for €12.9m plus VAT.
2) The Design Team led by Donnachadh O Brien of Donnachadh O Brien & Associates
Naas, Civil & Structural Engineers includes Coady Architects from Dublin, Carron + Walsh, Quantity Surveyors Dublin & Waterford and Galileo Energy Services, Mechanical & Electrical Consultants from Celbridge
3) The final game in St. Conleth’s Park before work begins will be the National League game between Kildare and Meath on Sunday March 26th .
4) All further queries to Lorraine O Connor, PRO Kildare GAA by email

Had a look at the plans but couldn't make out if they are upgrading the terraces. If you are going to build a lovely new stand surely you need to modernise the rest with new barriers, but of paint and the like.

Still fair dues, start date is not far off but I said at the very start of this thread I'll believe it when I'm sat in it. That still holds true.

I presume we'll be playing in Portlaoise in whatever Division next year.

You'd be daft as a brush to get your hopes up over this. Even if it starts on the 27th, expect overspend and extensive delays. The County Board couldn't run a bath. They will be walked over contractually.

Oh ye of little faith

Look it was asked about costs etc. It is 17 million for the lot. And the timeline is good imo if it stays at that. I am hoping and its a step in right direction. Its a positive thing aftwr all the poor performances in football