Irishtown won't be ready until "Spring 2015"

Chivito550

So much for having it ready by 13th October.

http://dsdac.com/dsd-news/9-2014/180-track-update-on-irishtown

Murph_D

Unbelievable, especially considering how good the weather has been since they started the work.

Chivito550

Murph_D wrote: »

Unbelievable, especially considering how good the weather has been since they started the work.

There was barely a drop of rain in all of September, and temperatures averaging around 18-19 degrees. Questions need to be asked.

average_runner

One night of low temps!!! Sack the contractor

AndyBoBandy

I thought contractors couldn't get away with this sort of behaviour anymore!

The council paying the full bill over the summer while there was probably only about 20-30% of the contractors onsite that they were actually paying bills for..

PaulieC

I collect my kids in the gym there every Wednesday afternoon and I've never seen anyone working on it. Progress is extremely slow.

groovyg

So does that just leave Tallaght and Santry as the only two to use in Dublin?

Are DSD not building their own track?

KielyUnusual

Apparently they have some other job up in Norn Iron that has taken precedence. Its an absolute joke. Just when I decide to take this track fairy stuff seriously too. I'm all too familiar with every blade of grass in Sean Moore Park at this stage.

Chivito550

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Apparently they have some other job up in Norn Iron that has taken precedence. Its an absolute joke. Just when I decide to take this track fairy stuff seriously too. I'm all too familiar with every blade of grass in Sean Moore Park at this stage.

Yep and as a result there were 2 perfect weeks in September of high temperatures and 0mm of precipitation and nothing was done during this time.

Maybe an investment in Wimbledon style covers is the answer?

KielyUnusual

Chivito550 wrote: »

Yep and as a result there were 2 perfect weeks in September of high temperatures and 0mm of precipitation and nothing was done during this time.

Maybe an investment in Wimbledon style covers is the answer?

Yea, we certainly were discussing that as an option down the club but talking to the coach it doesn't seem to be on the table. Just stick a bit of tarpaulin over it and finish it section by section, no? Ye use the track with DSD as well, right? What are ye going to do in the mean time? It will be strange to go in to the indoors not having run on a track in almost a year.

Chivito550

KielyUnusual wrote: »

Yea, we certainly were discussing that as an option down the club but talking to the coach it doesn't seem to be on the table. Just stick a bit of tarpaulin over it and finish it section by section, no? Ye use the track with DSD as well, right? What are ye going to do in the mean time? It will be strange to go in to the indoors not having run on a track in almost a year.

Not sure of the plans tbh. We have Santry for Saturday's anyway, so at least we have a track for one of our sessions.

clear thinking

I'd love to be a student again and waste a day trawling through the tender or bidding process to see if there's any related party type stuff going on, or at least what penalty clauses there are. Presumably if the contractor failed to deliver they should only have costs covered and not be given their profit margin.

Murph_D

clear thinking wrote: »

I'd love to be a student again and waste a day trawling through the tender or bidding process to see if there's any related party type stuff going on, or at least what penalty clauses there are. Presumably if the contractor failed to deliver they should only have costs covered and not be given their profit margin.

You don't have to spend much time to see that the etenders.ie site lists the tender but not the successful bidder. Which is a little odd. It's a while since I used to look at these things regularly for professional reasons but they used to be pretty good about publishing the result of the bidding process, or at least naming the successful bidder.

Of course I could have missed something.

Chivito550

Any further updates on this? No graded meets have been scheduled for Irishtown. That doesn't exactly send out a positive signal that this is going to be finished at all this summer!!

We are now nearly 2/3rds through "Spring 2015".

PaulieC

No further work done as of last Wednesday, ridiculous carry on altogether

KielyUnusual

They're meant to be back at the end of this month and weather permitting have the track finished by May. It really is frustrating. I look forward to seeing this date being pushed ever outward

Chivito550

KielyUnusual wrote: »

They're meant to be back at the end of this month and weather permitting have the track finished by May. It really is frustrating. I look forward to seeing this date being pushed ever outward

Situation is a farce. All we have is Santry in Dublin really right now, as Tallaght and Donore won't let non members pay to use their tracks (correct me if I'm wrong).

And Santry is chockerblocked meaning only one track day a week for me on a track, and it's nearly outdoor track season.

menoscemo

Chivito550 wrote: »

Situation is a farce. All we have is Santry in Dublin really right now, as Tallaght and Donore won't let non members pay to use their tracks (correct me if I'm wrong).

And Santry is chockerblocked meaning only one track day a week for me on a track, and it's nearly outdoor track season.

Tallaght rent out the track to various groups and clubs at various times, but you're right, you can't just turn up at random times and pay to use the track. I'm pretty sure the cost of employing someone to supervise and take payment is not feasible for a single track.

Lougheee

I recall when the European team championships were on in Dublin in 2013, I turned up to Santry on a Thursday afternoon, the week of the meet to do a session. Never in my life have I seen a track so busy. Every athlete was doing their last tune-up session, relay teams practicing changeovers etc.

Hopped in the car, drove up the M1 to Drogheda and got a great session of 10 x 400m in on their new tartan track. Had the inside lanes all to myself. This was between 6 and 7pm. I think I paid two or three euro and signed the book for the privilege. When you need to get the session done, you will find a way!

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

Situation is a farce. All we have is Santry in Dublin really right now, as Tallaght and Donore won't let non members pay to use their tracks (correct me if I'm wrong).

And Santry is chockerblocked meaning only one track day a week for me on a track, and it's nearly outdoor track season.

Le Cheile have a good track also, can rent that out.

We are trying to get one in Lucan for the last 2 years.

barryoneill50

I was talking to a chap there(Irishtown) this morning who says the track should be ready in 4-6 weeks.....

clear thinking

Sounds bad, the rovers stadium in tallaght was on a 3-4 week timeline for about 9 years.

Sacksian

IMC GV Ryan meet is down for Irishtown on July 11th, so I'd imagine it has to be done by then.

PaulieC

When last I adked, it was end of march

Chivito550

Sacksian wrote: »

IMC GV Ryan meet is down for Irishtown on July 11th, so I'd imagine it has to be done by then.

Last I checked on the IMC website they had "Venue TBC" down.

Even if it is 4 to 6 weeks (let's assume 6) then we are up to start of June. So much for "spring 2015". At least I've got access to a track 2 days a week now, but still stuck on grass on a Wednesday. Might run more graded meets than planned just to get more track time.

Timmaay

Total rumour here ha, but heard somewhere that the Irishtown management are suing the crowd who are doing the work on the track now.

Chivito550

Timmaay wrote: »

Total rumour here ha, but heard somewhere that the Irishtown management are suing the crowd who are doing the work on the track now.

Haha, can't beat a good rumour.

average_runner

But they would have a good case, because from what I read, they paid for it in advance, so under consumer law they are due a refund at least.

Murph_D

average_runner wrote: »

But they would have a good case, because from what I read, they paid for it in advance, so under consumer law they are due a refund at least.

It was a public tender process. Would be amazed if fully paid for in advance as this would have to have been stipulated in the tender. Where did you read this?

28064212

average_runner wrote: »

But they would have a good case, because from what I read, they paid for it in advance, so under consumer law they are due a refund at least.

Consumer law applies to private individuals, it wouldn't have any relevance here (barring the unlikely scenario that an individual Irishtown coach paid for it out of their own pocket).

There might be breach of contract stuff going on, but only someone with extensive knowledge of every aspect of the deal would be even able to comment. Anything else is just wild speculation

average_runner

28064212 wrote: »

Consumer law applies to private individuals, it wouldn't have any relevance here (barring the unlikely scenario that an individual Irishtown coach paid for it out of their own pocket).

There might be breach of contract stuff going on, but only someone with extensive knowledge of every aspect of the deal would be even able to comment. Anything else is just wild speculation

Private Individuals or not, there is a reasonable amount of time a service has to be provided, problem is the time it takes in the courts

average_runner

Murph_D wrote: »

It was a public tender process. Would be amazed if fully paid for in advance as this would have to have been stipulated in the tender. Where did you read this?

Heard it from one of the runners that trained there with his club. The deal apparently, it was to be done at a certain time last year, the company started the job, then went back to the north to finish another job, the company then decided the weather wasn't good enough to continue and it be last March before it would be done!!

That's what i heard.

28064212

average_runner wrote: »

Private Individuals or not, there is a reasonable amount of time a service has to be provided

Only if it's stated in the contract. The Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act does not apply here. If the contract doesn't have a timeline, or provides enough caveats for the builder to cover themselves, Irishtown won't have a leg to stand on

average_runner

28064212 wrote: »

Only if it's stated in the contract. The Sale of Goods and Supply of Services Act does not apply here. If the contract doesn't have a timeline, or provides enough caveats for the builder to cover themselves, Irishtown won't have a leg to stand on

Is there not a reasonable timeframe with contracts even if not written down?

28064212

average_runner wrote: »

Is there not a reasonable timeframe with contracts even if not written down?

There might be, but it would depend entirely on the individual situation's details, and would be very dependent on the details of the contract that were written down. It's extremely unlikely that such a contract would ever be signed tbh, especially for a project of this size. If no timeframes were specified, it's very likely that someone in either DCC or Irishtown management was extremely negligent

Murph_D

28064212 wrote: »

If no timeframes were specified, it's very likely that someone in either DCC or Irishtown management was extremely negligent

Well it would be fascinating to get hold of the tender documents, but they don't seem to be accessible online (you can find a list of documents but can't download them). Anyway I'd imagine the contract was probably full of the kind of get-out-of-jail language you find all over Irish legislation in general: e.g. "as far as is reasonably possible" etc etc.

clear thinking

Why did they not get the same crowd that did santry in 2011/2012???? Mondo,

Chivito550

Photos as of yesterday.

tHE vAGGABOND

So totally unchanged or untouched since last Sept/Oct

KielyUnusual

There is a Massey Ferguson on the track. Awaiting further information. It is a development at least

KielyUnusual

Said Massey Ferguson

Murph_D

Ooh, there's smoke coming out of it. Even more promising!

PaulieC

That could be any make of tractor...

Chivito550

Right, daily updates and photos are to uploaded to this thread. I'll be training on the pitches beside it on Wed so will provide an update then.

menoscemo

PaulieC wrote: »

That could be any make of tractor...

A culchie can spot a Massey from a mile away

Chivito550

Photos from yesterday evening. Looks exactly the same as it did the last time I saw it 2 weeks ago.

PaulieC

Minus the massey

KielyUnusual

Chivito550 wrote: »

Photos from yesterday evening. Looks exactly the same as it did the last time I saw it 2 weeks ago.

I thought it looked like a new layer of tarmac but maybe that was just wishful thinking.

aquinn

Any Wednesday update this week? Massey still onsite?

Chivito550

aquinn wrote: »

Any Wednesday update this week? Massey still onsite?

It looked the same when I was down last Wednesday. I'll have a look this evening when I'm down there.

average_runner

Chivito550 wrote: »

It looked the same when I was down last Wednesday. I'll have a look this evening when I'm down there.

Ran by there yesterday, seem to be a few trucks around and some machinery, so maybe they started.