€13 million AIT arena to be ready by December

Athlone IT's status on the country's sporting map looks set to grow with news that the first phase of the €13 million indoor sports arena is due to be complete by December. Up to 100 builders have been on-site in recent months as the new indoor track and distinctive curved arena, changing rooms and extensive gym buildings have been taking shape. "We're hoping to be finished this side of Christmas and be ready for the indoor season in 2013," President of Athlone IT Ciarán O Catháin updated the Westmeath Independent this week on the first part of the development, which in total, will span 12,000 square metres. Within months of the completion of the first element of the indoor sports arena, it's hoped that the college will be in a position to begin the second phase of the project, a multi-purpose sports hall with international futsal and basketball courts, spectator stand and fit-out, estimated to cost in the region of €3 million. He also confirmed that the new six-lane indoor athletics track, the country's only IAAF approved facility, will host the National Indoor Championships at the end of February 2013. The athletics track and sports hall will both have 1,500-spectator capacity meaning that the venue, particularly the sports hall, will be suitable for other large-scale events like concerts etc. "We hope by the year end to have funding in place for the second phase and once that is secured work will begin in early 2013," the AIT chief explained. The first phase of the project has been met by funds from the college's own coffers, however, he said he is "reasonably confident" they will be able to get the €3 million necessary to finish the project from a variety of sources. In all, the new state-of-the-art €13 million facility, sure to be the envy of sporting venues nationwide, will include an six-lane indoor athletics track, two court multi-purpose sports hall with international futsal and basketball courts, an elite squad gym, performance laboratory, aerobics studio, fitness suite, physical therapy suites, as well as café facilities. The athletics track and sports hall will both have 1,500-spectator capacity. An outdoor spectator stand for up to 500 people overlooking the existing outdoor athletics track is the final part of the project earmarked site in the centre of the campus. Although a little behind the original schedule, Prof. O Catháin stated that when complete the indoor arena development will put Athlone up there as one of the best sporting venues in the country, pointing out that they will be in a position to host all kinds of national and international competitions in the future.