Funding boost of almost €500k for Athlone Tennis Club airdome plan
Plans for an ambitious airdome in Athlone Tennis Club's new home at the Athlone Regional Sports Centre have been given a significant boost.
The club recently learned it had been awarded a grant of €482,182 from Community Sport Facilities Fund 2023 (SCEP), formerly known as the Sports Capital Fund.
The funding was secured on appeal after the application was not among those initially approved in the first phase of grant allocations.
Planning permission for the airdome was secured late in 2023 and is the second phase in a major project.
The first completed phase involved the construction of three new courts, three mini children's hardcourt tennis courts, LED floodlights, new artificial clay playing surface and a modular clubhouse.
Development Lead for the project, Oliver McGrath, said the club is delighted with the sum awarded for the air-dome project but stressed the importance of fundraising during 2025 to meet the additional costs.
He said the airdome would be one of the largest indoor arenas for sports in the Midlands.
Mr McGrath said the relocation of the club to the Regional Sports Centre has been a huge success with members joining in record numbers, along with a large number of local groups, schools and TUS students availing of the facilities.
He said the vision of the club to seek indoor facilities in terms of attracting national events to the regional dome centre, which would have significant economic benefits for the town.
The Regional Dome Centre will include three indoor tennis courts along with its current three outdoor courts and three children's courts.
Mr McGrath said it would be open to a variety of sports, with participants such as Westmeath & Roscommon Sports Partnerships, Vision Sports Ireland and local schools all expected to use the facility.
The club's development team has expressed its thanks to the local councillors who backed the proposal along with TDs Peter Burke and Robert Troy, Westmeath County Council CEO Barry Kehoe and Tennis Ireland’s CEO Kevin Quinn.
A date for the project to commence will be released in 2025.