Major boost for new Finn Harps stadium project
Co Council agree to provide €500,000 towards its completion
Plans for the new Donegal Community Stadium in Stranorlar received a major boost today with the news that Donegal County Council has agreed to provide €500,000 towards the completion of the new facility which will become the new home of Finn Harps FC.
The funding will be paid over a three-year period as follows: 2022 -€ 250,000.00; 2023 - €150,000.00 and €100,000.00 in 2024.
This comes on top of a similar agreement by the FAI to provide another €500,000 to join with the €3.991 million that has been provisionally allocated by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media under the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF) to this end.
It has been acknowledged that work at the location has been stalled for a considerable period of time with the overall site falling into a state of disrepair.
Today's council meeting heard that there is a strong desire in the local community, and throughout the county that the project is brought to conclusion.
The meeting also heard that Finn Harps FC has carried out a major review of the proposed stadium and decided to exclude and reduce elements of the overall project, which are not absolutely necessary at this time, so as to refine the overall project costs to the greatest degree possible.
The Development Committee in Finn Harps FC has also reviewed the construction format to be used, and following significant investigation has now opted for a modular stadium build and has recently gone to the marketplace on this basis.
This construction method is one that is used widely in the UK, and site visits were carried out to examine the same.
Many councillors voiced their support for the cash boost and praised the club for its commitment to soccer at all levels throughout the county over its many years in existence.
Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District cathaoirleach, Cllr Patrick McGowan praised the efforts of the Harps committee, the county council, the FAI and the department for helping to push the project forward.
"This is a great day for Donegal, for sport and for Finn Harps and I know work will begin at the earliest opportunity," he said.