Taoiseach Leo Varadkar will officially fire the starting pistol to mark the opening of the €3 million Regional Athletics Hub in Newcastle West this Thursday afternoon, 3.30pm.
It had been due to open much earlier but the timeframe was altered due to inclement weather (last Autumn/this Spring), which forced a later date for the laying of the specialist track surface.
Located close to the town, at Cloonysrehane (on the Cork Road), the hugely impressive facility boasts an athletics track to international World Athletics standard (eight lanes/400m), floodlights for the track and a fully lit walking path on the track perimeter,with room for field sports such as shot put, discus, hammer, javelin, long jump, high jump and pole vault.
It also has ample car, bus and bicycle parking along with toilets and water point.
It was funded by Limerick City and County Council, the Large-Scale Sports Infrastructure Fund (which is part of Project Ireland 2040 administered by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media), Depart-ment of Housing, Local Government and Heritage through its Hinterland Fund and the JP McManus Benevolent Fund.
At the Hub’s launch, Gordon Daly, Director of Community Development and Manager of the Newcastle West Municipal District promised: “This will be a great asset to the sporting community and the community in general and will have an important impact on the fitness and lifestyle of many people, young and old.
“The track will be of the highest international standard, allowing it to be used in competitions. The track has been long called- for and Limerick City and County Council is very pleased to be involved with this important piece of sporting infrastructure for County Limerick and further afield.”
Jim Galvin led the Steering Committee for the ambitious project.
Its arrival is expected to result in a spike in the number of children involved in athletics.