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New Running Track in Galway - Westside

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  • 29-08-2014 11:25am
    #1
    Micilin Muc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭


    Work has started on the construction of the new track in Westside. Does anyone have any info on who will be responsible for it? Galway City Harriers? I think St. Michael's GAA will be responsible for the GAA pitch, but don't know anything about the track.


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    #2
    sconhome
    Registered Users Posts: 5,468 ✭✭✭sconhome


    Most of the stuff out there is GCH. I know Westside is the location for the Fit4Life so presume something to do with that.


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    #3
    Bugsy2000
    Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭Bugsy2000


    Micilin Muc wrote: »
    Work has started on the construction of the new track in Westside. Does anyone have any info on who will be responsible for it? Galway City Harriers? I think St. Michael's GAA will be responsible for the GAA pitch, but don't know anything about the track.

    Don't know who's operating it. I had thought that the council will be running it but SpursCormac may be able to shed a bit of light on it.

    I do think it's a joke of a location though. It's great that Galway is getting a second track but it's located 1mile as the crow flies from Galways only other track. I know GCH is the biggest club (numbers wise) in the country but I don't think they can justify the use of two tracks. (Not a dig at GCH but the council)

    I can think of seven or eight clubs who are crying out for a track located in the east of the city / county.


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    #4
    sconhome
    Registered Users Posts: 5,468 ✭✭✭sconhome


    Is it where the old dust track is past the garage?

    Bugsy2000 I didn't realise there's no track in Athenry!! So apart from the 200m (?) track in Craughwell there is nothing until Loughrea?!


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    #5
    Micilin Muc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    AKW wrote: »
    Is it where the old dust track is past the garage?

    Bugsy2000 I didn't realise there's no track in Athenry!! So apart from the 200m (?) track in Craughwell there is nothing until Loughrea?!

    It's on Westside Playing Fields, here. Don't know where the old dust track or the garage was/is :o


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    #6
    sconhome
    Registered Users Posts: 5,468 ✭✭✭sconhome


    Micilin Muc wrote: »
    It's on Westside Playing Fields, here. Don't know where the old dust track or the garage was/is :o

    You have it spot on. Garage is at McDonalds - didn't feel in was an appropriate landmark for this forum ;)

    Was a dust track around that pitch there always looked as if it had been left to rack and ruin.


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    #7
    Bugsy2000
    Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭Bugsy2000


    You're bang on with the location AKW. I grew up facing those pitches so my home house actually looks out at the new track.

    The old track was just a sand track that was constructed in the late eighties. I can say hand on heart that I can never remember it being used for athletics of any kind. You may have had a random person using it for laps but even that was rare as the surface itself wasn't great & never received any attention. It was merely constructed & left there. Most of the time it was used for dog walking & one of the bends was practically overgrown with weeds.

    The new track does look good at the minute. It's been raised by about two feet by the looks it so there'll be no drainage issues.

    I understand that the whole park had to be re-designed to accommodate the new road widening along the Seamus Quirke Road, they literally dug up the two GAA pitches. The re-design probably just included a track because there was one there already but one on the other side of town would have been nice. I'd hope between GCH & Galway Tri Club it will get enough use but somehow I doubt it.

    Not bitter or anything!!:)

    No track in Athenry AKW. Up until a few years ago a lot of our speed sessions & club championships used to be held in Dangan but that meant travelling right across town (Headford Road junction traffic!!). It just wasn't suitable.


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    #8
    Bugsy2000
    Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭Bugsy2000


    @ Spurscormac

    Don't know if Cormac is still on boards but if you are, how busy is the Dangan track these days?

    I know ye hold weekly speed sessions up there as some of our own lads live in that way & make use of them & some of the tri club head up too but how busy is the track overall? How busy do you think the new track will be?

    Cheers.


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    #9
    Ath trasna
    Registered Users Posts: 81 ✭✭Ath trasna


    AKW wrote: »
    Is it where the old dust track is past the garage?

    Bugsy2000 I didn't realise there's no track in Athenry!! So apart from the 200m (?) track in Craughwell there is nothing until Loughrea?!

    There is also another track in Craughwell now, its around the soccer pitch, I think its approx 400metres. Owned and used by the Fit4Lifers


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    #10
    sconhome
    Registered Users Posts: 5,468 ✭✭✭sconhome


    Ath trasna wrote: »
    There is also another track in Craughwell now, its around the soccer pitch, I think its approx 400metres. Owned and used by the Fit4Lifers

    If we're on the same track I pass that one on my runs quite regularly its only newly finished (as in this year) I didn't think that was 400m - more than happy to be wrong - and always felt the bends were a bit tight. Must have a run around it one of the days.

    Closest 'track' to me is that one or around the pitches at Colga which if you don't cut the bends is a sweet 800m circuit.

    Good to see some recognition and development in any event.


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    #11
    Goofy
    Registered Users Posts: 272 ✭✭Goofy


    So does anybody know who actually owns this track?

    Are there any fences around it? Will it be open to the public for free?


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    #12
    Bugsy2000
    Registered Users Posts: 497 ✭✭Bugsy2000


    As far as I know it's council property (It always has been previously anyway & it seems to be constructed as part of the overall rebuild of the park which includes a large children's play park etc.


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    #13
    spurscormac
    Registered Users Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    I don't frequent here too much these days. Afraid I know no more than has been already stated.
    Not aware of any link to GCH, suspect its the council throwing money away at unnecessary projects again. Pitches needed to be redone following the road works, but that grit track was unused, so don't see the need for the expense of a new one. It will be useless in winter without lights too, assuming they don't have any planned.
    Would have been better the far side of the city or on an indoor facility if you ask me.


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    #14
    Goofy
    Registered Users Posts: 272 ✭✭Goofy


    Well I'll definitely be trying it out. I always hated dangan. It was closed most of the time and when the track was booked they were militant about letting anybody on it. Hopefully this will be a decent track.

    If they were to build one on the east side they would have to buy the land and an indoor track would cost millions. This track is an amenity that they can provide relatively cheaply.


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    #15
    martyboy48
    Registered Users Posts: 2,140 ✭✭✭martyboy48


    Just bumping this up to let ye know the track is now open.
    Hopefully it will be used for the right purpose and be looked after by everyone :)


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    #16
    ultraman1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,742 ✭✭✭ultraman1


    martyboy48 wrote: »
    Just bumping this up to let ye know the track is now open.
    Hopefully it will be used for the right purpose and be looked after by everyone :)
    Just saw some pictures and stuff on fb about this,,apparenty there is a hill on one of the straights..


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    #17
    martyboy48
    Registered Users Posts: 2,140 ✭✭✭martyboy48


    ultraman1 wrote: »
    Just saw some pictures and stuff on fb about this,,apparenty there is a hill on one of the straights..

    That's just to keep you on your toes :-D

    I noticed the rise alright but wasn't sure if it was a gain in elevation or just rising it up to level...

    Did that Facebook say if it was a 400 meter track as I don't know... I was thinking it might be a tad short from my very limited experience..


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    #18
    LowOdour
    Registered Users Posts: 2,449 ✭✭✭LowOdour


    Hi folks, can someone give me an update on the track. There is a mention of a FB page but cannot find it.

    2 questions
    Is it open to the public?
    What is the track length?


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    #19
    spurscormac
    Registered Users Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    It's officially being opened today by Galway City Council.
    Looks like it's open to the public at the moment, it's not fenced off.

    However, they've made one silly error and one stupendous error with the track.

    Silly Error - there is no way to get onto the track without walking through grass. None of the surrounding paths lead to trackside, there is grass planted the whole way around. fine in dry summer, not so much in the wet of winter.

    Stupendous Error - The track is NOT flat. Yes, you read that right, there is a slope from one end to the other!!!
    What an utter waste of money to build a track with a slope.


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    #20
    Micilin Muc
    Registered Users Posts: 2,842 ✭✭✭Micilin Muc


    spurscormac wrote: »
    It's officially being opened today by Galway City Council.
    Looks like it's open to the public at the moment, it's not fenced off.

    However, they've made one silly error and one stupendous error with the track.

    Silly Error - there is no way to get onto the track without walking through grass. None of the surrounding paths lead to trackside, there is grass planted the whole way around. fine in dry summer, not so much in the wet of winter.

    Stupendous Error - The track is NOT flat. Yes, you read that right, there is a slope from one end to the other!!!
    What an utter waste of money to build a track with a slope.

    And one error of judgement on cost savings - no lights!


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    #21
    LowOdour
    Registered Users Posts: 2,449 ✭✭✭LowOdour


    Feck, tonight wont be the best night to head out there so. Any idea about the distance..is it a 400m track?


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    #22
    Alancoughlan
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Alancoughlan


    sconhome wrote: »
    Is it where the old dust track is past the garage?

    Bugsy2000 I didn't realise there's no track in Athenry!! So apart from the 200m (?) track in Craughwell there is nothing until Loughrea?!

    Their is a track in Ballinasloe 400m it is free


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    #23
    Alancoughlan
    Registered Users Posts: 3 ✭Alancoughlan


    Who runs the track, Open hours, flood lights, toilets and Cost


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    #24
    youngrun
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,477 ✭✭✭youngrun


    Alancoughlan wrote: »
    Who runs the track, Open hours, flood lights, toilets and Cost

    Open all hours . No lights or toilets. no barriers to entry. no costs. City council built


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    #25
    spurscormac
    Registered Users Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭spurscormac


    Have run there on a dark evening over the winter.
    There's enough light from the streetlamps to get you around, but you wouldn't want to be trying to organise a large group from there if it's dark.


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