Walsh Park redevelopment gets significant funding boost
The redevelopment of Walsh Park has been given a significant boost with the confirmation it will receive €3.753m in the form of a Government sports capital grant.
Announced today ahead of a General Election date expected to be revealed in the coming weeks, the money will be used for the construction of a new uncovered northern stand and dressing room, and playing surface upgrades at the Waterford city venue.
The funding will provide approximately half of what’s required to redevelop Walsh Park into a 16,500 capacity venue and will also include a new covered western stand terrace as well as toilets.
It is not anticipated such work will be done until after the senior hurlers’ Munster SHC games against Tipperary and Cork this May.
Earlier this week, county chairman Seán Michael O’Regan reiterated the games would go ahead at Walsh Park as the provincial matches with Clare and Limerick did last year after Waterford were unable to host their 2017 Munster SHC fixtures there due to health and safety reasons.
Waterford GAA posted on their social media platforms: “@WaterfordGAA have been allocated funding of €3.75 million from the Large Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund for the redevelopment of Walsh Park. We welcome this positive news and look forward to further discussions with @officialgaa to advance this project as soon as possible.”
In other good news for the GAA, the Meath County Board will receive €6.2m for the redevelopment of Navan’s Páirc Tailteann. “We welcome this positive news and look forward to further discussions with the GAA on this project,” Meath GAA reacted to the news.
Close to €5m was designated for Kildare’s St Conleth’s Park in Newbridge for the building of a new 3,000 seated stand as well as new floodlights and facility upgrades.
