How it all began – the local need

 

The origins for this idea stem from local area consultation with club and local community members and groups around the level of community available facilities in the area. It was seen that the lack of suitable and modern facilities was restricting community development and sports participation. We have thriving communities yet very poor facilities for young and old to go to or take up an activity. Our own Kilskyre National School has no indoor facilities for children to play, or do Physical Education, and are therefore completely at the mercy of the weather.

Groups consulted:

  • Kilskyre national school – discussed with Board of Management and Principal. No indoor play or fitness area for Physical Education. Sports participation including range of sports affected.
  • Kilskyre Pride of Place Committee – lack of modern facilities.
  • Kilskyre Community Childcare facility – Pixies. They are based in Kilskyre Hall. Now take up 50% of the hall. Occupy an old temperance hall built in 1913.
  • Kilskyre Historical society
  • Other local GAA clubs – including Ballinlough GAA, Carnaross GAA, Moylagh GAA,
  • Kilskyre & Ballinlough Active retirement/Young at Heart club
  • Kilskyre Youth Club – formerly a strong club but no modern facilities available. When Pixies childcare took over parish hall no suitable available space
  • Kells Scouts. We have a number of scout leaders in Kells Scouts who are from Kilskyre parish who would like to avail of a facility like this for overnight camping in-door.
  • Kilskyre Youth Club organisers – summer camps and ongoing

Public consultation dates 29th August 2018, November 23rd 2018, and January 29th 2019

The current project is part of phased development plan starting with the indoor training facilities. Stage 2 if progressed will involve building modern meeting rooms for the local community. Stage three will involve development of an outdoor walking track.

 

The benefits of having a new community activity centre

 

Kilskyre Hurling Club sees many benefits from the creation of the community rooms and multi-purpose fitness hall for our members and for the community at large. These include:

  • The combination of sports, recreational and community spaces in one location will provide an increasingly attractive resource for members of the community and has the potential to increase active participation in sport and exercise, both GAA and non-GAA;
  • Knock-on benefits for the community financially, socially and through the improved physical and mental health of the individuals;
  • The community rooms and multi-purpose fitness hall can handle countless guests, sports enthusiasts and benefits everyone by enabling them to pursue their favourite physical activities while also exploring a range of new activities that will be made available to them locally. These activities will be decided upon through close community engagement. The club are also committed to ensuring that these facilities will be open to everyone and not just GAA members and we will adopt a comprehensive inclusion policy in order to ensure that this remains a core priority for the use of the new facilities.
  • The community rooms, meeting spaces, and purpose-built fitness hall will provide a viable alternative to the existing parish temperance hall which now acts primarily as a community childcare facility and is no longer fit for purpose in many respects and aside from the preschool element acts as a venue primarily for parish and church activities.