Clonmel Rugby Club Development Plan 2002 - 2006
1. Introduction
After much discussion and having put the foundations in place, the General Committee of this Club feels that the time is appropriate to map out the future of the Club so that the present membership can hand on something to be enjoyed and further developed by future members. It is felt that a development plan must be put in place, so that:
· There are proper goals set out for the Club to achieve
· There is knowledge and general acceptance of where the Club is going
· There is an impetus created by the need to achieve these goals
· Those supporting the Club from outside can appreciate the reasons for their support
· All resources and fundraising will be properly channelled
· Continuity is provided for future Officers and Committees
· Impetuous use of resources now or in the future will be curtailed
· The Club will have a documented means of convincing future supporters
· Banks and Institutions can see that the Club has a coherent policy.
It is accepted that some of the objectives will be reasonably attainable, while others, by their very nature will be more aspirational. It is also given that this plan is one of purely physical development and that the capital required to bring it to fruition will result from strategies devised by a separate Finance and Development Committee. To facilitate a staged approach to this plan it is necessary to divide it into Short, Medium, and Long Term goals.
2. Present Situation
Clonmel Rugby Club, which is over 100 years in existence is sited on approximately 10 acres (including newly-acquired land) at Ardgeeha, Clonmel. The premises are presently comprised of :
- two regulation-size playing pitches (one flood-lit)
- clubhouse containing function-room, bar, kitchen, store, etc
- dressing-rooms to cater for four teams, referee, etc.
- large car parking area (not properly developed)
The premises are fully owned by the club which is vested in the Trustees and there is no debt, apart from the loan just received from the IRFU, outstanding on the facilities. The club is in a healthy financial state (Annex K – Annual Accounts, Annex L – most recent Bank statements).
We are currently in Division 1 of the Munster Junior League (one step below All Ireland League status) and field a Senior and Seconds team every week. The Club also has a Ladies section and an under-age structure covering age groups from U-10 to U-18. The Club sees itself as a vital part of the social fabric of the area and is ambitious to expand its community support through the provision of Tennis, Hockey and Soccer facilities. Clonmel Cricket Club have used our facilities and the major GAA Club in the area, Moyle Rovers, have frequently trained under lights here.
3. Overall Strategy
The decision to put an overall plan in place was very much dependant on the acquisition of the South Eastern Health Board land (Annex A-Red section). This land, amounting to 3 acres, has now been acquired (Annex B-Agreement) and fully paid for. A further small parcel of land (Annex A-Blue section) which is the property of Tipperary (SR) Co. Council is to be received in exchange for a strip of Rugby Club land, which is required to widen the adjacent road (Annex C). This has been agreed in principle. These two parcels of land are fundamental to the success of the plan.
It should be noted that the boundary between the Borough area and the Co. Council area runs through the Club premises and all planning applications must be made to both Clonmel Corporation and Tipperary (SR) Co. Council, unless the application refers to something distinctly on one or other side of the boundary. Our overall strategy will flow from here and the various steps involved will obviously depend on the funds which the Club can put in place. The major thrusts of this strategy will be to:
- get more people from all sports involved so as to increase the social impact of the Club on the area.
- take advantage of the significant growth of both Local Authority and private housing which has grown around the Club so that we can grow our youth membership
- increase our influence in the local schools to get more members. Clonmel High School has already been very successful in this regard
- further involve the Tipperary Institute, whose campus in Clonmel is now using our facilities
- foster the Fethard Rugby Club, a newly-founded under-age club, which is affiliated to our club and will act as a “feeder” club over the coming years
- develope our relationship with the GUIDANT Corporation, a U.S Multinational whose premises bound our premises. They currently employ 1,000 people and we are jointly discussing the acquisition of some GUIDANT land in return for the use of our facilities by their employees. They will be a fruitful source of members for the future.
- explore the possibilities of providing a “home base” for clubs such as Clonmel Hockey Club, Clonmel Cricket Club, etc, who will not have the means to provide their own premises.
- provide a multi-sport complex which will enhance the town’s facilities.
4. Short Term Goals
These are considered to be Operational and Administrative improvements which could be undertaken on an ongoing basis from normal fundraising activities which would not detract from the financing of major objectives. They would include the following:
● Development of Acquired Land: Getting the best use from this land (Red and Blue areas – Annex A) will be critical to the success of the overall development. It is envisaged that it will include:
- third pitch, mainly for use of under-age sections and Ladies section
- practice/training area for senior teams
- extend car-parking facilities
- tennis courts
- realignment of the septic tank area
- childrens’ play area
- enhanced lighting for tennis courts, parking, etc.
- separate dressing-rooms for the Ladies section.
· Improve the entrance and boundaries. This would entail the erection of new entrance gates that would carry the Club insignia. The present fencing/hedgerow could be dismantled gradually and replaced by a perimeter of Chain Link fencing.
· Improve the Security system/Fire alarm status of Club premises. This would include an assessment of all entrances/exits and an improvement of security grills to make them more user-friendly and to ensure that our current systems comply with present statutory legislation.
· Upgrade car-parking facilities. This would include the laying of tarmacadam from the entrance gate to the Clubhouse and marking out proper car-parking spaces. This area should also be floodlit to improve security and to allow this area to double as a training ground/soccer pitch/hard stand for attractions such as Funfairs, etc.
· Erect a Score Board: This would be both informative for those attending matches and would give the grounds a more professional appearance.
· Install an internal/external public address system: This would provide more control over the grounds and would be very useful for functions and outdoor events which the Club hopes to run more of.
5. Medium Term Goals
These are issues which necessarily require focused funding, whether it is provided by the Lotto fund or otherwise. The mechanism through which these are completed (Community Employment Scheme / Student Summer Job Scheme / Contractor, etc.) will be a major consideration. They would include the following:
· Improve Flood Lighting: This would enhance the overall facilities, improve safety standards for players, provide the opportunity for competitive games at night and encourage other groups to use the Club’s facilities.
· Construct All-Weather pitch and Tennis Courts: Some of the present space between the entrance and the South boundary could be used to good effect and some of the acquired land could be used in a similar fashion. The benefits of this development would be to give added playing facilities to our players, to provide facilities for the families of Members to be involved, to give an extended season to the Club, to allow persons who do not wish to play Rugby to join the Club and to allow other sports such as Hockey or Soccer to enter into agreements to use these facilities. It may be argued that such a development could in time dilute the core activity (Rugby) of the Club but it must also be appreciated that the future of any club lies in a strong membership. The strength of the membership will surely depend on the quality and variety of facilities offered. The Club will be protected as any change in the constitution of the Club will have to be approved at an AGM or EGM by a majority of the members at that time.
· Build extension to Clubhouse: This would enable us to provide facilities such as a Gym, a Members Bar (as against a Functions Bar), a Committee Room and a larger area for functions/parties/hiring out, etc. (See Annex – D)
· Provide Weights Room/Gym: This would have obvious benefits for our players who would then have the facility to undergo planned fitness/strength programmes.
This facility could also be hired out to other clubs and groups. This area would have to be incorporated into a Club extension that will be referred to below. (See Annex – D).
· Upgrade Bar Area: This would enable the Club to provide more amenable and attractive surroundings for it’s own members in the first instance and attract more pavilion members, who will be available because of the expanding environs of Clonmel and the constraints of current Drink/Driving legislation. An upgraded Bar should have an office which would facilitate the ongoing administration of the Club by a part-time/full-time Secretary or Manager (See Annex - D).
6. Long Term Goals
These are objectives that may or may not be aspirational, depending on the success of the goals already outlined, and our ability to market our facilities as we create them. These would include:
· Construction of an apartment: In the situation where the Club would have the facilities as planned it would be in it’s interest to have a full-time Steward and it would enhance the security and the general running of the Club to have this person accommodated on the premises. It would also add to the Club’s assets and value and provide other opportunities.
· Provide seating and shelter around First Pitch: This could be done in a basic way and upgraded as finances permitted. The seating could be of the bench variety built onto a gradient and the shelter could be built as a relatively small stand at first and extended as circumstances decreed. This initial stand should be on the West side of the First Pitch.
7. Summary of progress to date:
The position as of now is as follows
- land acquired from S.E.H.B. (Agreement – Annex B)
- exchange of land agreed with Co. Council (Road Alignment – Annex C)
- planning permission received for first phases from Clonmel Corporation and Tipperary Co. Council (Annexes – E and F)
- 10-year loan @ 1% received from I.R.F.U (Annex - G)
- costings received for the various elements of the plan (Annex – H)
A further major development is the possibility of acquiring some additional land from GUIDANT for the provision of an all-weather pitch. If discussions on this are successful then the provision of the this pitch will have to rise in the order of priorities.
Because of the costings received for the various areas we are advised by M.A Ahearne & Associates, Consulting Engineers (Annex - J) to undertake the following steps initially:
- provide new playing pitch €29,394.00
- provide all-weather pitch €46,091.00
- provide flood lighting €86,342.00
- gym area of Club extension €121,742.00
Total €283,569.00
We have planning permission for all of the above, apart from the all-weather pitch. This can be submitted immediately on conclusion of discussions. Requests for tenders for the other work can be actioned. (See Annex M – Overall Map)
8. Financial and Commercial implications
So far this plan has described what is physically possible over a period of time. It is now more probable because the major factor, the acquisition of extra land has now been attained. The other major factor will be our will and ability to raise finance. While the Club has raised funds for projects in the past it does not have a tradition of concerted and continuous fundraising. Clearly this will have to change. It could be argued that one step in this plan (e.g. upgrading the Bar to create more business) could finance another step, but this would result in a long-term plan that would soon lose momentum.
To get a plan such as this up and running the Club will need a strong and committed Finance Committee, whose members would remain in situ for two or three years. This plan would not wish to dictate how this committee should operate, but there are many areas which will merit consideration, such as:
- our ability to raise funds from Banks/Institutions
- the availability of further loans from the I.R.F.U.
- the availability of grants from the National Lottery
- attracting and positioning a major sponsor for the Club