Jessbrook as a venue for indoor track.

trad

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/john-gilligans-equestrian-centre-put-up-for-sale-by-cab-29574555.html

Gilligan's folly Jessbrook is being handed to the OPW to sell it for €500k.

Wouldn't it be an ideal building for an indoor track? Seating already in place and if it's big enough for horses it should be big enough for a track.

CI could sell up at NCR and set up HQ out there,

What about it?

Seaneh

Jesus, it actually doesn't look bad at all.

The seating already being installed above the floord means it could be excellent for a velodrome.

Only problem is it would be like a freezer in the winder and prove to getting very hot in the summer so might not actually be a great place for a wooden track.

trad

"Its 3,000-seater arena has never been used and is completely enclosed with “the best of thermal roofing”.

Mightn't be that cold after all.

Seaneh

trad wrote: »

"Its 3,000-seater arena has never been used and is completely enclosed with “the best of thermal roofing”.

Mightn't be that cold after all.

The floor is bloody huge too, could easily take a 250m track.

If it's well insulated I don't see why it wouldn't work, and if it's really only €500,00 it's a bargain I reckon.

Beasty

I'm not sure - you probably need a roof that is perhaps 8m high to get a proper track in, and unless you dig down the existing seating will not work

To get a 250m track in it needs to be around 100m long and maybe 60m+ wide - not sure this will be big enough

Squidgy Black

The floor space doesn't actually look that big to be honest, I'm not sure if it'd actually fit a 250m track both width and length wise.

And also, it's in the arse ends of nowhere! :P

trad

The video say's the main building (arena) is slightly over 5,500m2
Looks plenty high inside and look pretty dry as well.

Beasty

trad wrote: »

The video say's the main building (arena) is slightly over 5,500m2
Looks plenty high inside and look pretty dry as well.

Unfortunately it needs to be at it's highest at each end. A 250m track needs to be at least 6m wide (most are 7m) and with a 45 or so degree slope it's going to be 4.5m high. You then need to fit the bike and rider as well as some head room, probably meaning it needs to be 7m+ so high

If it's the right shape that building may accommodate a 200m track, subject to the height issue. It certainly cannot accommodate a 250m one

kumate_champ07

France just got a new 200m indoor track

Esroh

Lads

Ive just done a bit of Digging re Equestrian Buildings .
All 3 have seating up to 3000
Millstreet's Actual arena riding surface is 80m x 40
Cavan riding Surface is 80m x36m
Kill riding surface 75m x 35

All 3 buildings would be 100m in length.And they would be on a par height wise with Simmonscourt Pavillion.
I would think from reading up on JG's plans for the Arena that this was build to be bigger than the rest.
Potential to build a BMX track there as well
Accessible from Motorway network.

Thinking outside the box may actually work:D

Beasty

There are shorter tracks out there, but to get the best use out of such a facility you ideally need a 250m track - that's the best way for sprinters to be able to practice their lines.

The UCI facility in Aigle (that's the track that Eoin Mullen trains on) is 200m with a 6m wide track, which is another option, but sprinters would probably still have to go overseas for some of their training.

At a push, you may be able to squeeze a 200m track in that building if you use the full 5,500 sq m (say 100m x 55m), but that would require all the seating to be removed - I'm not sure if this is feasible as from the video it looks like there are some pillars at the front of the seating

dave_o_brien

Esroh wrote: »

Lads

Ive just done a bit of Digging re Equestrian Buildings .
All 3 have seating up to 3000
Millstreet's Actual arena riding surface is 80m x 40
Cavan riding Surface is 80m x36m
Kill riding surface 75m x 35

All 3 buildings would be 100m in length.And they would be on a par height wise with Simmonscourt Pavillion.
I would think from reading up on JG's plans for the Arena that this was build to be bigger than the rest.
Potential to build a BMX track there as well
Accessible from Motorway network.

Thinking outside the box may actually work:D

The "Olympic Standard" is about 60m x 40m. There's far more variation (it seems) than most Olympic Standards, because the emphasis is on the number and variation of jumps.

At least, that's what I can gather!

But in principle, looks great. The Ice Dome in Dundalk would have been ideal too, but DKIT are looking at it for a gym.

C3PO

Would you really like to buy a building that John Gilligan might consider to be still his?

Lumen

C3PO wrote: »

Would you really like to buy a building that John Gilligan might consider to be still his?

The best suggestions I've come across are for the Army, Gardai or CAB to buy it and use it for some sort of HQ/training centre, but mainly just to piss him off.

Harrybelafonte

Considering so the argument repeatedly made that an indoor track would be great for the community and get younger riders involved, then it's location alone makes it a non-goer

Beasty

Harrybelafonte wrote: »

Considering so the argument repeatedly made that an indoor track would be great for the community and get younger riders involved, then it's location alone makes it a non-goer

Don't buy that argument at all. Yes it would be ideal if any indoor track had a natural catchment area, but most of the kids I see at Sundrive (admitedly only on race nights) are driven there by their parents

Harrybelafonte

You're totally right, I'm only really restating the argument.

At the same time some of the local kids have signed up and there are many who attend who do not have anything but a bike for transport.

If we were to take the success of Ratoath BMX as a case, I think that its location has been one of the strongest factors in it's success. Right on the esge of the town, every kid in the place can cycle directly to it, public transport seem to be good etc.

I just see the location as being a possible downfall. I'm nervous at the idea of picking somewhere simply because it's marginally suitable and possibly cheap.

Beasty

If we had €50m or so we could probably get something that encompasses all priorities. Alas we are in a position where compromises must be made. It seems to me that one of the main financial justifications is the saving of costs of sending elite athletes overseas, and this must be one of the main priorities.

I will always be supportive of something that can be a proper community facility, but I suspect that will only be accommodated if we can find somewhere that ticks a few more boxes

Having said that, as I've already alluded to above, unless I'm missing something I simply do not believe this particular arena is big enough anyway

trad

OP here. Thanks for all the input lads.

It would just be nice to see the proceeds of crime being put to good use and if cycling could benefit from it why not.

I'm not an expert on track design, only ever Commissaire'd a few track events in Sundrive way back in the last century.