Antrim GAA chairman Ciarnan Cavana performed one of his final tasks as head of Antrim GAA on Saturday afternoon by opening of the magnificent new High Performance Centre at Dunsilly. Prior to cutting the tape Dunloy native Fr PJ Mc Camphill blessed the new centre.
Antrim Senior and U20 Hurling and Football managers Darren Gleeson, Andy McEntee Paudie Shivers and Niall Jackman, plus a host of their panels were in attendance along with reps of Club Aontroma Casement Social club and Saffron Business Forum joined representatives of the manin contractors, OB Construction Portglenone. Their site manager was Damien O Hagan. Architect Lee Doherty with project architect Brian McDowell, Quantity Surveyor Dermot Rooney, Mechanical contractor Grove Mechanical Electrical contractor Premier Electrics. The project commenced in early May and was completed ahead of schedule.
Also in attendance were Paul Stevenson and Paul Mullan of Podium 4 Sport, suppliers of the Gym equipment. the building features a High Performance Centre, which houses a meeting room to accomadate 60 to 70 people, a fully fitted kitchen area, plus an interactive TV and video analysis system. The 20m x 12m gym houses the 11 racks also bikes weights to allow 35/ 40 people to train together. There is a disabled toilet and private physio room and store. Their is a complete air conditioning system fitted throughout the meeting room and high performance gym. State of the art continuous LED lighting system, full WiFi accessibility throughout complete music system.
The project cost approximitely £500K, with £85K of the funding coming fro Croke Park, £25K Casement Park Social club, £25k disposal of previously owned grounds at Ballygroo, £190K and of course Saffron Business Forum. The Antrim Project team, who oversaw the project included Paul Molloy, Seamus McKillop, Seamus McMullan, Frank Caldwell and Tony Shivers.
Saffron Business Forum front man Shivers commented at the opening event that Antrim GAA went all out to completely finish the project to the highest standards and to have “ a best in class facility”, he said that Antrim would be appealing to clubs and businesses in Antrim to assist with the cost of the High Performance Centre by getting your club or business logo on a specially commissioned plaque to be erected in the foyer of this highly impressive building
