Two of Co Armagh’s major capital sports projects will be looking forward to a happy new year – with tenders out to help drive them further along the road towards new state-of-the-art facilities.
City of Armagh Rugby Club and Laurelvale Cricket Club are each marking a century-and-a-half of sporting excellence – and both have exciting projects in the pipeline to celebrate.
And this week tenders have been published to find “suitably quality consultancy firms for the design and project management” of their individual schemes.
The tenders have actually been published in the name of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon Borough Council and represent another great milestone on the journey towards their goals.
Both sports clubs have been very much at the heart of their local communities over their 150 years in existence and their plans will bring about facilities which will be the envy of many.
Planning approval has already been given for the Armagh and Laurelvale developments.
They will help to cater for increasing demand in their respective sports and ensure that teams associated with the clubs – and surrounding communities – benefit from the most modern of facilities.
In relation to the City of Armagh Rugby Club, the tender for professional services relates to the “extension and clubroom enhancement scheme” at the Palace Grounds.
Plans include a single-storey extension comprising new changing and showering facilities, together with a physio room.
It is also intended to refurbish the existing shower areas to provide enhanced male and female changing and shower facilities.
As the tender documentation points out, the works are very much needed, replacing facilities which have been in place for almost 50 years.
According to the tender: “City of Armagh Rugby Football Club was founded in 1875 and, since 1977, has been located at their current site on the Friary Road in Armagh.”
“The clubhouse and grounds have been extensively used during this period, not just by rugby club members and visiting rugby clubs, but also by the local community and local sporting clubs.”
Part of the current facilities – stretching to more than 7,500 sq ft – has been described as “sub-standard”, having been built in 1977.
Now there is a “requirement to ensure that there are facilities suitable for female and disabled participants and that they are adequate and truly inclusive for everyone in CARFC’s ever-growing community”.
The tender adds: “It is the desire that the energy efficiency measures, accessibility and environmental improvements will increase participation volumes in all categories. Significantly, it will also encourage other organisations to use the facilities.”
Laurelvale Cricket Club also values the involvement of the local community and will strive for facilities to cater to all.
It is styling its new development as a ‘Cricket and Community Hub’, located on the site of the existing club at Mullavilly Road.
Laurelvale Cricket Club
According to the tender documents, the Laurelvale grounds and facility have provided the focus for many village activities and functions since 1875.
And it adds: “The club has just celebrated 150 years’ existence, and to mark this the committee wants to secure a viable long-term future for this established club and develop the facilities and activities that take place there.
“Over the years, due to its location in the centre of the villages of Laurelvale and Mullavilly, many activities other than cricket now take place within the grounds.
“There is a real need to build a new, fit-for-purpose facility to host these activities.
“This capital project will kickstart the first phase of the club’s vision – the building of a new community hub and changing facility adjacent to the current cricket pitch (Building B).
“This new single-storey building will have a multi-use space where groups will meet and, during the cricket season, will also act as changing rooms. It will also have a disabled toilet and baby-changing facilities.
“The new facility would allow for more programming of indoor activities and longer opening hours. An increase in usage of the facility will lead to increased revenues, all of which will be ploughed back into maintaining and developing other facilities in the club’s vision. Council wishes to develop this project with a consultant.”
The City of Armagh Rugby Club tender is for a period of two years, estimated from March 2026 to March 2028, while the Laurelvale Cricket Club tender is for five-and-a-half months, between March and September next year.
The deadline for submissions from interested parties in each case is noon on Tuesday, January 13.
