A design team is due to be appointed by the end of this year to develop plans for the multi-million euro Regional Sports Campus in Thurles.
The ambitious project, to be located at LIT Thurles, is a collaboration with Tipperary County Council, Tennis Ireland, and Tipperary GAA, and would include the development of Tipp’s first full-size 4G GAA pitch.
An estimated €18.7 million is required to complete the project, with just over half a million euro in State funding announced last year to further develop the plans.
Head of Centre for the LIT Thurles campus, Séamus Hoyne, has this update on the status of the project:
“So we’re in the throes of planning for the large-scale sports infrastructure. We’re hoping to appoint the design teams by the end of this year.
“So we’ll be designing for the entirety of the project and then we’ll have to apply for the next phase of funding for Stream Two for the actual capital implementation.
“It’s really exciting. We’re going to be starting to move from things like concepts and ideas into physical drawings and specifications, so it’s really interesting to be moving it on to the next phase.”
The President of Limerick IT says that people who want the full student experience in the new academic year should get vaccinated now.
Professor Vincent Cunnane is among those preparing the college’s campuses, including Thurles and Clonmel, to welcome back thousands of students in the coming weeks.
It’s a big period of change for LIT, as it merges with Athlone IT to officially become the new Technological University of the Shannon from October 1st.
Professor Cunnane has this message for third-level students:
“You’ll be back on the campuses, either on September 13th for 2nd, 3rd and 4th years, on September 20th for apprentices, and September 27th for our 1st years.
“We have a big programme of events for all of you. But I would say two things – we’ll be adhering to the protocols that we have in place which is mask wearing, sanitisation and segregation.
“And if you want a full student experience – get vaccinated now!”
