After more than a quarter of century of planning, fundraising and contention, building will finally start in the leisure centre in the Canon’s Field in Mitchelstown next week.

An end is now firmly in sight, as The Avondhu can exclusively reveal that MMD Construction Ltd based in Farmer’s Cross outside Cork City have secured the contract for the Sports and Leisure Centre.

“MMD have come through a rigorous selection and tender process, undertaken by our professional team led by Gar Holohan, to ensure the best possible outcome for the project in terms of value for money and quality of builder,” Ben Lynch, Chairman of the Mitchelstown Leisure Group told The Avondhu. 

MMD were established 13 years ago and they have been involved in a number of leisure projects, including ones in Bishopstown, Churchfield and Douglas, while they have also been involved in Colaiste an Chraiobhinn in Fermoy and the athletics track in CIT, among many more projects.

Ben Lynch acknowledged how long people have been waiting for this project to become a reality, but he affirmed that it will be up and running within a year.

“We in the Leisure Group are well aware of the frustration felt by all in Mitchelstown at the long delay in bringing this project to fruition, but we are very confident that the development will be up and running within twelve months. It will comprise of a 600 square meter sports hall, a separate multi-purpose hall, a fitness suite, meeting room, two outdoor training pitches and hopefully, a number of other facilities for which we have planning permission already in place.

“This is good news for all in Mitchelstown. Undoubtedly, the town could do with a boost and the additional activity created initially by the construction jobs, and later by the presence of a multi-purpose sports and leisure centre in the town centre will hopefully encourage further investment,” Ben told The Avondhu.

He went on to say that now that they know that the centre will be up and running by the middle of 2014, the focus wil begin to turn to the activities that will be part of the project. 

“We will be encouraging every organisation in the area to be part of that process, as this is a development that everyone can be part of, whether they are male or female, young or not so young, and whether they want a tough training session or a more leisurely activity,” Ben said.

The business community have also welcomed the news, as Pat Tangney of The Firgrove Hotel and Clongibbon House said that it is the first positive that the town has seen in a long time.

“It’s a great kick start for the town and it will allow the town to rebuild itself after a lot of closures in recent times.

“Thanks and congratulations go to all involved. A lot of hard work has gone into this to get it up and running and now the work is about to start and the money is in the account,” he said.

The news that building is to start has been welcomed by Fine Gael TD Tom Barry and Labour Minister Sean Sherlock, with both welcoming the funding of €120,000 from the Sports Capital Funding and €500,000 from Ballyhoura Development, whom Ben Lynch thanked for their guidance and support down through the years.

“This will be a wonderful centre for sport and the wider community of Mitchelstown and the surrounding area and is the culmination of years of commitment and hard work from the committee on behalf of the people of Mitchelstown,” TD Tom Barry told The Avondhu. He has been actively campaigning for funding for this project and was delighted when the Sports Capital Funding was approved.

Minister Sean Sherlock said he is glad the project is finally underway. “I’m delighted that, as Minister, we have been able to support this project through the Sports Capital Funding of €120,000.

“This project has been a long time in gestation and I’m hopeful that the Ballyhoura Development investment of €500,000 will have a positive influence on the range of services provided in the centre, so that the centre will sustain itself into the years ahead for the next generations,” Minister Sean Sherlock said.

PEOPLE V POLITICS ON TURNING THE SOD

Minister Sean Sherlock has told The Avondhu that it would be fitting and right if someone local was to turn the sod, ‘as the money for the centre came from the people’. However TD Tom Barry has said that he will be inviting Minister Michael Ring to Mitchelstown to do the honours at a date to be confirmed. 

“I’m delighted that the Government were able to partially fund the leisure centre, but given that the bulk of the funding was raised by ordinary decent local people, it would be great to see a local person representing the community to turn the first sod,” Minister Sherlock reiterated.