Floodlighting Improvement
Floodlighting Improvement Project
The IFA recognises the significant and immediate need to improve the floodlighting capacity for both sporting performance and health and safety reasons at a number of grounds.
As a result the Association is undertaking an investment project to allow a number of grounds to improve their floodlighting provision to 500 or 800 lux. This will be funded through the UEFA HatTrick II Assistance Programme, however only limited funding is available.
In March 2008 the Association appointed a firm to undertake floodlighting surveys across the 19 clubs engaged in Domestic Club Licensing. This provided information on the current provision at grounds and an indicative cost to improve grounds to a standard of 500 lux or 800 lux.
In May 2008 the Club Licensing and Facilities Department undertook an assessment and scoring process to identify a number of clubs which would be supported under a Floodlighting Improvement Project. Thirteen clubs applied and were ranked in order of need and project outcomes.
Phase I
Cliftonville FC, Portadown FC and Coleraine FC were the first three clubs selected as a result of this process and the Irish FA has committed funding of £200,000 per project to complete these projects to a standard of 800 lux.
These projects are progressing and Semple & McKillop Consulting Engineers has been appointed to assist in producing tender documents for the installations.
It is anticipated that the first of these projects (Portadown FC) will be completed by mid February 2009. Work will commence on site at Coleraine FC by early February with completion expected in March 2009. The project at Cliftonville FC is awaiting planning approval however tendering is expected to be undertaken by March 2009.
Phase II
A second phase of this project was announced in August and as a result a further 4 projects have been given provisional offers of funding.
These clubs are:
Bangor FC (500 lux)
Glenavon FC (800 lux)
Glentoran FC (800 lux)
Institute FC (500 lux)
The Irish FA will continue to work with Semple & McKillop in the implementation of phase II projects.
The Irish FA is actively pursuing funding opportunities for additional floodlighting improvement projects at other grounds.
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