Arklow, being a small town in County Wicklow, Ireland, is famous for its sports facilities and natural beauty. As part of its efforts to maintain and improve the quality of its tracks and fields, the Arklow Municipal District (MD) has recently been allocated a grant by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media to improve the existing Seaview Avenue track surface. This development has been welcomed by the community, but it has also led to repeated calls for a full resurfacing of the track, which will bring it up to a national standard. The track is a key resource for athletes on both sides of the Wicklow-Wexford border and beyond. The grant allocation, which is subject to the terms of the Sports Capital Programme, will be used to clean up the existing track surface, carry out drainage works, and remove weeds. According to the Arklow MD spokesperson, staff will now liaise with the successful contractor on the works, with the hope of proceeding within the next two to three months, taking into account their existing workload.

Funding such a project as resurfacing the track will require significant levels of funding, such as that available via Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Funding. The Arklow MD has reaffirmed that, alongside their colleagues in Wicklow Sports Partnership, they will continue to apply for additional funding as the funding streams become available.

The community has welcomed the grant allocation, but it has also led to repeated calls for the expeditious delivery of plans to resurface the track. Cllr Warren O’Toole said that, while the approval is welcome, “it’s also not good enough”. He added that a full resurfacing of the track is necessary, stating that “this funding is a step in the right direction, but a full resurfacing remains the ultimate goal”.

Cllr Pat Kennedy also emphasized the need for a sports and recreation centre of excellence in Arklow. He stated that the town should be making a concerted effort to develop such a centre, which would bring in all the surrounding amenities and be a pleasant place for people of all ages to enjoy. He added that “we should be making it a really pleasant place for people to come and enjoy that brings in all the surrounding amenities”.

The Arklow MD will now liaise with the successful contractor on the works, with the hope of proceeding within the next two to three months. The spokesperson added that staff will continue to monitor the progress of the project and make any necessary adjustments.

In conclusion, the grant allocation for the Seaview Avenue track surface is a welcome development, but it is not enough to meet the demands of the community. The Arklow MD will need to continue to work towards a full resurfacing of the track and the development of a sports and recreation centre of excellence. The community looks forward to seeing progress on this project and is confident that with the right support and funding, it can be completed successfully.