New indoor athletics arena - at last!

Rineanna

Athlone Institute of Technology to develop the ROI's first international strandard indoor athletics arena:

The indoor athletics track and field auditorium comprises a 200m-banked running track, spectator seating for 1,500 persons, as well as an elevated athlete warm-up area with an 80m sprint track.

http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=16564


*Apologies to the Mods if this is already being spoken about somewhere - I seem to miss some stuff on the A/R/T forum with the time difference here in in NZ.

jinka

Rineanna wrote: »

Athlone Institute of Technology to develop the ROI's first international strandard indoor athletics arena:



http://www.athleticsireland.ie/content/?p=16564


*Apologies to the Mods if this is already being spoken about somewhere - I seem to miss some stuff on the A/R/T forum with the time difference here in in NZ.

Ah Jasus and Ive nearly just finished building mine in the back garden.bloody typical.

donothoponpop

Rineanna wrote: »

*Apologies to the Mods if this is already being spoken about somewhere - I seem to miss some stuff on the A/R/T forum with the time difference here in in NZ.

Gone but far from forgotten, you're a great girl Rineanna

myflipflops

Is this definately going to happen? I remember viewing the plans for the indoor facility at Santry that never happened.

IrishTrackFan1

myflipflops wrote: »

Is this definately going to happen? I remember viewing the plans for the indoor facility at Santry that never happened.

I think it will for two reasons. One it is coming from the education budget, not sport and two, Ciaran O'Cathain has a track record of delivery. Fair play to him, he is a doer and I really wish him the best in getting this done.

ecoli

myflipflops wrote: »

Is this definately going to happen? I remember viewing the plans for the indoor facility at Santry that never happened.

This was announced during the summer. I think the fact that it has come to light again over the last week means that they are actually making progress with it which to me is a great sign and I have confidence that this will be initiated before too long

myflipflops

Great stuff. Nice to see a positive story.

BornToRun88

hurray! kiss goodbye to cold cold Nenagh:)

ecoli

BornToRun88 wrote: »

hurray! kiss goodbye to cold cold Nenagh:)

But Nenagh now has heating so we all sorted:D

BornToRun88

ecoli wrote: »

But Nenagh now has heating so we all sorted:D

twas cold there for the AAI Games last year when they had this so called 'heating'

Goofy

I think this will definitely happen. O' Cathain seems intent on turning AIT into a top level sporting campus.

Leevale are in the process of building one down in cork, CIT i think. I heard they sold their clubhouse in the city to fund it.

TrackFan123

Brilliant. I cannot stand Nenagh! So cold and filthy

RealistSpy

So when can we start using this track?

notsofast

RealistSpy wrote: »

So when can we start using this track?

From the AAI article, "Construction work will commence in the new year, with the project due for completion by the end of 2011". so... hopefully the 2012 indoor season.

911sc

I knew there was a good reason behind the increase of student fees :rolleyes:

Goofy

Has Construction started on this yet? Can anyone update me on the progress?

dna_leri

It's not finished yet but was looking good there last week.

Recent announcement from AIT:

The new indoor sports arena at Athlone Institute of Technology (AIT) is to receive €737,500 in Government funding it has been announced.

The money is being provided under the Special Athletics Tracks Initiative, operated by the Department of Transport, Tourism and Sport.

AIT President, Professor Ciarán Ó Catháin, welcomed the announcement, saying that “it is an important contribution towards the development of this world-class facility. The new indoor arena will help put Athlone and AIT on the map internationally as the centre for athletics in this country.

Prof. Ó Catháin thanked local Fine Gael TD, Nicky McFadden, for her support of the project, noting that she is “a valuable friend to the institute and a great advocate for what we are doing.” He also thanked Michael Ring TD, Minister for Sport, who he said had visited the campus and was fully supportive of the development.

Phase one of the new arena is due to be completed by the end of this year, which will feature a six-lane 200m indoor track, as well as an elite gym and fitness facility.

The final roof beam for indoor arena was installed today Friday, 27 July. The 56-metre beam weights 24 ton.

Fair play to them for getting funding for such a capital project in these times.

I understand that they have events booked in for early next year, hopefully that includes the National Indoors event.

PersonalBest

Thats good news. I suppose this means Nenagh for the Munsters and Athlone for the All Ireland.

how ye goin1323

i really hope its built for the next indoor season, nenagh is soo cold and deary u dont have the motivation to run fast

entropi

It was looking well on the way back in April, had a look at it from the track during intervarsities.

Goofy

http://touch.boards.ie/thread/2056501608?page=1#post_80554075
The outside is nearly done. There are some pictures of it in that thread. I might come out of retirement and do a few races!

shiibata

how ye goin1323 wrote: »

i really hope its built for the next indoor season, nenagh is soo cold and deary u dont have the motivation to run fast

my fellow thought Nenagh was not that bad, after all the stories he had heard about it... middle of March is as fair to any athlete, no matter what county there from...

BornToRun88

how ye goin1323 wrote: »

i really hope its built for the next indoor season, nenagh is soo cold and deary u dont have the motivation to run fast

Me too. I never want to run in that kip again. Cold inside the place than it is outside it.

a_non_a_mouse

"Me too. I never want to run in that kip again."

People should remember that Nenagh is club training venue. As that it ticks all the boxes.
Problem is that AAI never put any indoor stadium's in place which would hold indoor competition.

No, I'm not connected with Nenagh in anyway.....but I do have respect for a club which has achieved better training facilities than most

ChickenTikka

a_non_a_mouse wrote: »

People should remember that Nenagh is club training venue. As that it ticks all the boxes.
Problem is that AAI never put any indoor stadium's in place which would hold indoor competition.

No, I'm not connected with Nenagh in anyway.....but I do have respect for a club which has achieved better training facilities than most

Absolutely agree ... the rest of us are lucky that Nenagh were happy to provide their facility for use for events when nothing else was available. Like ana mouse, I have no connection with Nenagh other than to use the facilities as a coach occasionally for training and often for competition.

Many times, I've seen their coaches cleaning up after a day of competition or sweeping the track before the following days competition. All voluntary I am sure. I'd say there is very little profit to the club out of making the facility available for competitions. When their coaches are already putting in many hours a week coaching their athletes free of charge, it must be a royal pain to have to put in more hours to clean up after other club's athletes. Fair play to them for allowing competitions to be held there over the years.

longjump67

ChickenTikka wrote: »

Absolutely agree ... the rest of us are lucky that Nenagh were happy to provide their facility for use for events when nothing else was available. Like ana mouse, I have no connection with Nenagh other than to use the facilities as a coach occasionally for training and often for competition.

Many times, I've seen their coaches cleaning up after a day of competition or sweeping the track before the following days competition. All voluntary I am sure. I'd say there is very little profit to the club out of making the facility available for competitions. When their coaches are already putting in many hours a week coaching their athletes free of charge, it must be a royal pain to have to put in more hours to clean up after other club's athletes. Fair play to them for allowing competitions to be held there over the years.

Would agree totally with above statement however it will be great to see a new facility with comfortable seating.

a_non_a_mouse

"Would agree totally with above statement however it will be great to see a new facility with comfortable seating."

No disagreement there. Hoping its up and ready for the 2013 indoor season.

Great credit must got to A.I.T. for the facilities they have put in place over the last few years.