Plans for an €8m National Watersports Campus at Dun Laoghaire Harbour got the green light from Government today with the announcement of a €400k feasibility study grant from the Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Fund (LSSIF).
The successful application was made by Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council, Irish Sailing and Irish Underwater Council.
The new Campus plan includes a centre for community watersports activities, a public slipway and a High-Performance Coaching Centre. A mixed-use space for hosting international sailing championships, swimming, triathlon, rowing and canoeing is included. Accommodation facilities for NGB’s and Campus tenants are also planned.
The successful applicants were decided following a rigorous assessment process with the highest scoring applications receiving grant offers from Shane Ross T.D., Minister for Transport, Tourism and Sport, and Brendan Griffin T.D. Minister of State for Tourism and Sport.
A large group of Dun Laoghaire Harbour stakeholders combined forces to promote the project that they say will improve the Harbour’s infrastructure resulting in improved access, job creation and greater tourism potential.
The project recognises deficits in the current set up in the harbour, proposing the construction of an all-tide publicly-accessible slipway (none currently in the Greater Dublin Area) as well as a marine services facility, providing a much-needed home for the supporting industry.
The campus also seeks to provide a marketing framework to make boating more accessible to the general public.
The 'Stream 1' application at Dun Laoghaire is among those that seek funding towards the cost of developing projects to the point that an application for construction work can be submitted in the future.
More details on the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport website here.
