Development works at Dr. Hyde Park, Roscommon are unlikely to take place prior to next year’s potential Connacht SFC Semi-Final at the venue after the County Board was unsuccessful in its application to obtain funds through the Rural Regeneration Development Fund (RRDF) in October.
Roscommon GAA PRO Hugh Lynn is adamant however that the County Board is “100% committed” to getting the works done.
“Roscommon GAA is fully committed to getting the works done but should Roscommon footballers win their Connacht SFC Quarter-Final against London, we do not want to put at risk a possible semi-final fixture at Dr. Hyde Park due to the timescale of works involved.
“The County Board is 100% committed to the development of Dr. Hyde Park and has almost completed negotiations to purchase land from the HSE in order to widen the exit/entrance onto the Golf Links Road, which was highlighted as a potential ‘pinch-point’ in the Slattery Report,” he said.
The news that Roscommon GAA had been unsuccessful in its RRDF application was delivered by infrastructure chairman Padraig Naughton during his report to the County Board at its monthly meeting on Tuesday night.
It is believed the required works at Dr. Hyde Park will cost in the region of €2.2 million. The County Board has €600,000 put aside for the works with the rest of the funding expected to come from grants. The board feels that future match funding would be at risk if current County Board funds were used to commence projects currently.
It was decided therefore at Tuesday’s meeting that due to insufficient funds and in order not to jeopardise a potential Connacht SFC Semi-Final at Dr. Hyde Park, that works would now not take place until after next year’s potential Connacht SFC Semi-Final at the ground.
