Mayo firm selected for MacHale Park pitch works

Killeen Sports Grounds has been selected to carry out the resurfacing works at the home of Mayo GAA, MacHale Park in Casltebar.

The Claremorris-based firm was named the successful tenderer at a Mayo GAA County Board meeting yesterday evening (Wednesday), at which Michael Diskin was also named project manager.

The pitch works should not affect Mayo's league or championship games at the venue this year but the new surface will need time to bed in and next year's league campaign will be affected, with May 1 earmarked as the re-opening date for the playing field. The final stages of this year's club championship will be transferred to other grounds throughout the county as well.

County Board chairman Liam Moffatt detailed the tender process following the start of the process last summer, when investigations by three engineering firms found that while the soil profile of MacHale Park was 'excellent' thanks to good maintenance over many years, there was a drainage problem in the south-east quadrant that required attention.

Specifications were drawn up and sent to four specialised pitch development companies, and all four submitted tenders.

The project includes extensive drainage and surface work, levelling of the pitch using laser guides technology, and lengthening of the playing surface by five metres as well as the erection of new ball nets. There will also be sprinklers fitted and a pump for the irrigation system, plus an above-ground 50,000-litre tank(s) for roof water storage.

The proposed work will be funded from a combination of Sports Capital Programme grant (already in place and approved) and money raised through the Laochra Mhaigh Eo initiative. The County Board has an indicative budget of €250,000 to see the project through to completion.

The tender evaluation was based on four weighted criteria – the ability of the tenderer to provide the required services (assessed in the light of the specific proposals made by the tenderer), the fixed cost for the provision of the goods/service, the quality of the services being provided, and previous experience at delivering a similar type of service – with the highest scoring candidate nominated as contractor.