Future Plans

Plans

     Elevation

           Floor

                Site Plan

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Report and Recommendations of the Development Sub-Committee

Executive Committee Meeting
Monday 25th June 2007

Introduction

At a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Club held 19/2/2007, it was unanimously agreed to reconstitute and reform the Development Sub-Committee. Outline terms of reference were also agreed and the members were appointed and ratified.

Development Sub-Committee

The members of the Sub-Committee are:
  • AJ Cronin (Chairperson)
  • Paul Sheehan
  • Ernie Nelson
  • Paul Scannell
  • Brian Duggan

Terms of Reference

The Executive Committee agreed the following terms of reference for this Sub-Committee:
  • To compile and examine a full inventory of Club Assets.
  • To examine work completed to date by Executive Committee.
  • To establish current guidelines from GAA and Statutory Institutions.
  • To establish best practice for sports clubs in the provision of facilities.
  • To consult widely in respect of Club strategy for short/medium and long term.
  • To prepare a strategic plan for consideration by the Executive Committee.
  • To prepare a number of viable development options for consideration by the Executive Committee.
  • To report to the Executive Committee on a monthly basis with updates on progress.

Report

The Sub-Committee met on a number of occasions and outlined the current assets and existing structures within the Club. The future development of the club was measured against the proposed changes to the community through expected residential growth in the area and the future needs of Mayfield GAA club from both an infrastructure and games viewpoint.

The Sub-Committee members in reviewing the existing club structures fully supported the decision of the Club Special AGM and subsequent Executive Committee decision to implement the Club Strategic Report and particularly to complete the structure and manpower requirement therein.

It was a strongly held view of the Sub-Committee that a number of tasks facing the club in the future were critical to the future success of the club, namely:

  • The recruitment of volunteers to run the club and its teams
  • A strong emphasis on coaching and the required structure
  • The need for a very strong Juvenile Section
  • A close liaison with our schools
  • Good support structures for our Adult Teams
  • A close community relationship
  • To combat a serious drinking culture within the club and wider community
This report will outline the findings of the Sub-Committee and present its recommendations.

Club Assets

  • Premises at Kerry road, consisting of Bar, Lounge and carpark.
  • Approximately 8 acres at Lotamore, Mayfield, Cork (right hand side of the road).
This site includes the Riverview Fitness and Leisure Centre, one full sized playing field, one training/juvenile pitch and a separate block of four dressing rooms.
  • Approximately 16 acres at Lotamore, Mayfield, Cork (left hand side of the road).
This site is held on a 99 year sporting lease from Cork City Council. As it is leased and not owned it is not valued or treated as an asset in our accounts.

Development of Club Facilities

The sub-committee have researched best practice in the provision of top class facilities for our members/players and to encourage the community to become part of a modern GAA Club. The following facilities were deemed important for the future development of our teams and are further considered in our recommendations in order of priority:
  • A full size indoor hurling hall
  • A full championship size sand based pitch capable of holding matches throughout the winter period
  • A full championship size standard pitch maintained to a high standard
  • A Juvenile playing pitch maintained to a high standard
  • Floodlighting of the main pitch
  • Boundary wall and fencing of the pitch across the road
  • A hurling alley
  • New dressing rooms to be constructed across the road
  • An all-weather synthetic pitch
  • The consideration of locating the bar/lounge to the Lotamore site

Recommendations

The sub-committee in reaching its conclusions agreed to outline a number of options to the Executive Committee and to recommend a preferred option. The committee took account of the current environment and considered the likelihood of achieving the options outlined within a reasonable timeframe.

The committee members discussed the option of making no change to the existing structures or any investment to improve our current facilities and agreed that this was not a viable option to put to the Executive Committee.

  • Option 1
A do minimum option: The investment in our current facilities from within our own resources and spread over a lengthy timeframe. This option would require significant fund-raising outside that required maintaining day-to-day spending on our club activities. A significant number of additional volunteers would be required to administer this level of fund-raising and divert time and resources away from core club activities.
  • Option 2
This option involved the retention of the existing main pitch and facilities at Riverview. The committee viewed the existing training/juvenile pitch as an opportunity to raise capital for the phased development of facilities across the road on the 16-acre site. The training/juvenile pitch would require a rezoning and subsequent sale of the site to raise the required capital. An initial examination of this option in terms of the likely attitude of the Council Planning Dept has been positive.
  • Option 3
This option involves the sale of the entire 8-acre site including the main pitch, Riverview facility and training/juvenile pitch at Lotamore. The proposal included a development agreement with a Developer and Mayfield GAA Club to invest in new facilities on the 16-acre site across the road. The Developer to provide state of the art facilities, to include club house and bar, new pitches, all weather pitch, hurling alley etc within the site as per his outline presentation.
  • Option 4
The committee looked at the option of the sale of Kerry Road to raise capital to invest at Lotamore and recommends against this option at this time.
  • Preferred Option
The sub-committee recommend option 2 as its preferred option on the basis that the club will maintain its existing main assets on the site and have the option to develop facilities across the road with the minimum of risk. The committee felt it prudent at this time, to recommend that the rezoning of the training/juvenile pitch should be progressed with the intention of a sale to raise capital for the development of club facilities.

Conclusion

I would like to take this opportunity to thank my fellow members of this sub-committee for their time and commitment to ensuring the future development of Mayfield GAA Club.

AJ Cronin
Chairperson, Development Sub-Committee.