Waterford GAA are planning to be the primary county to start main post-Covid stadium redevelopment work with the preliminary part of a Walsh Park facelift resulting from start in October.
ork on part one, which might see a brand new roof, new seating and a revamped press space within the current stand on the southern finish of the bottom and the erection of an uncovered stand on the northern finish, has been put out to tender and officers hope they will get underneath method in round two months’ time.
A widening of the prevailing pitch, from its present 80 metres to 84 metres, can be deliberate.
“It’s gone to tender however there’s nonetheless an extended approach to go,” acknowledged Waterford GAA secretary Pat Flynn.
Their ambition to proceed at this level comes after Meath and Kildare suspended their plans to redevelop Páirc Tailteann in Navan and St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge in June.
All three initiatives will likely be in receipt of finance from the Authorities’s Giant Scale Sports activities Infrastructure Fund which was specified by January 2020, previous to Covid. In Waterford’s case that was €3.75m however it’s cash they will solely draw down on a phased foundation.
Kildare set out their causes for the suspension in June, citing rising building inflation prices which they mentioned had been 30 to 40pc on the time.
That they had sought tenders on the finish of final 12 months with a view to beginning this summer time however outlined how the battle in Ukraine drove costs of metal and timber even larger.
Meath cited related points with a June county board assembly listening to how the hike in potential prices was 40pc to 50pc because the authentic costing in 2019.
Waterford nonetheless have some points to resolve and can meet with provincial council officers in a number of weeks however Flynn acknowledged rising building inflation is one thing they aren’t proof against both.
“It relies upon what method the tenders are available in,” he mentioned. “We had it costed however we don’t know what method it is going to go. We all know there’s going to be a rise however hopefully it received’t be too excessive.
“There isn’t any main building concerned. For the uncovered stand it’s a matter of laying down on the again. We’d hope to have it accomplished inside a six-month interval.”
That will probably depart Walsh Park prepared for the beginning of the Munster hurling championship spherical robin subsequent April when capability would rise to 12,000 from its present 11,000 with 9,500 seats. The subsequent part would see new dressing-rooms, workplaces, ancillary services and a few seating on the western facet developed.
Since Covid, the GAA has been adopting a cautious method to growth work because it recovers from the monetary hit it took throughout two years.
Louth GAA are additionally hoping to assemble a brand new stadium in Dundalk however an preliminary €12m price might be as excessive as €19m now resulting from building inflation, a county board assembly final month heard. In the meantime, the final hurdles opposing the redevelopment of Casement Park had been cleared in late Might.
