Save Tolka Park

Gavin "shels"

https://savetolkapark.com/

Ongoing campaign called The Save Tolka Park campaign which is a coalition of local residents, football fans and activists united in opposition to the sale of the stadium to private developers. We believe, that with the right investment and planning, Tolka Park can be so much more. (which can be reviewed at this location: https://savetolkapark.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/TolkaParkForTheCommunity_Desktop.pdf).

At present DCC are taking Submissions on Rezoning Proposals, one of which is changing the Zoning Z9 of Tolka Park and essentially selling off this public land then to a private developer for €15 million. Full details on how people can make a Submission to DCC with a sample template are below:

https://savetolkapark.com/support/

Why are Dublin City Council attempting to destroy green space which can be used for much more than just the sporting & social aspect? Why are we allowing them to rezone this green space & potentially put this Public Land on sale to Private Developers?

c.p.w.g.w

Isn't half of tolka condemned and one of the stands sinking

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118284401#Comment_118284401

Absolutely correct, if you read the proposal on the PDF above it shows the brilliant potential Tolka Park can have for football, the community and everything in between. Pumping €40 million into a football stadium in Phisborough is of benefit to a small few thousand - Tolka Park has the potential to be much more than a football stadium. Why can't we keep two community facilities in an ever growing city?

Gavin "shels"

Edit

Gavin "shels"

https://twitter.com/SaveTolkaPark/status/1468576540027981826/photo/1

fatbhoy

Tolka Park should be kept for football. An extremely rich historical and culturally important football ground. Everything that can be done to keep football here should be done. SRFC.

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118290672#Comment_118290672

Cheers fatbhoy, we're hoping it can be kept but not just for football but for the wider community! If you have a spare 5 minutes a submission to DCC would be greatly appreciated!

thegetawaycar

Would be great to see Tolka turned into a public amenity, swimming pool etc...

I know Shels fans don't want to share with Bohs but they could always look at RDS as Leinster only play a few games and puts them back in their original area. Between Tolka, Croke Park and Dalymount there are too many stadiums in extremely close proximity already.

More amenities for the public and not for the directors/investors of a football club to benefit more from public funds.

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118290951#Comment_118290951

Realistically RDS or any other stadium isn't a runner unless it's DCC owned.

thegetawaycar

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291233#Comment_118291233

Why not?

Surely 3 stadiums in such close proximity is unrealistic and 1 being turned into a public amenity would be of more benefit to the community? SDCC already fund 1 stadium, DCC will fund Dalymount, the other councils are probably the best bet for funding and the RDS already got large amounts.

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118291952#Comment_118291952

Just don't see the RDS as feasible, the point of Save Tolka Park is to save it for sports and public amenities e.g. creche, public toilets, walkway to the River, etc...

Given the volume of development and size of the communities, retaining two stadia like Dalymount and Tolka shouldn't be a wild idea.

JupiterKid

Yet another example where Dublin City Council knows the price of everything - and the value of nothing within its operational area.

Tolka Park can and must be retained as a sporting and public recreational amenity. The North inner city and suburbs have precious little open space as it is.

The successful public campaign to prevent the redevelopment of the Cobblestone pub in Smithfield shows that there is a widespread public appetite to fight for keeping Dublin's cultural and recreational amenities when threatened by yet another hotel or corporate office development proposal. Expect DCC to use the housing crisis angle as justification for this planned development.

DCC has already transferred a significant amount of public land into private ownership through Public-Private partnership "sweetheart" deals with developers over the past 15 or so years.

Gavin "shels"

Thanks for the support JupiterKid - if you can get friends, family and anyone in between to log a submission to DCC it would be greatly appreciated!

Ronan|Raven

Enjoy yere move to Dalymount. Tolka will make a lovely site for a few new gaffs.

Drummerboy2

I hope DCC see sense. They could put a state of art artificial pitch which could be used by both Shels and the local community. There is no green space in the area. Apart from Drums and Stella schoolboy teams all other teams have to play outside Drumcondra. Drumcondra FC play their home games in Malahide. The potential of the Tolka Park is huge, if they got their think caps on.

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118450609#Comment_118450609

Hi drummerboy2, that's exactly what the SaveTolkaPark Campaign are pushing for (see the Proposal here https://savetolkapark.com/proposal/ regarding the pitch, use for local clubs, etc...).

Drumcondra FC have publicly backed the SaveTolkaPark campaign with a letter of backing and also spoke at the initial campaign startup, they also have a banner of support on their facility on Richmond Rd opposite Tolka. Several other football teams in the area are publicly behind the campaign also.

starkid

No green space? Fairview, Griffith Park, Drumcondra FC pitches, All Hallow, more to come as stuff gets developed and opened.

Lets have a bit of realism.

Having two stadiums so close together isn't feasible.

Gavin "shels"

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118599907#Comment_118599907

How will 4 senior football teams manage to play in 1 stadium if that as you say is feasible? That's 4 sets of League games, 4 sets of Cup games, Shelbourne WNL are in Europe also this season, potentially Bohs will be back in Europe next season. Not to mention Shels Academy usually have days in Tolka and summer camps if memory serves me right, I assume Bohs do also. All in all, that's hardly feasible for one stadium?

Slightly away from it, Dublin GAA have Parnell Park & Croke Park - 10 mins apart. Granted Croke Park is used for other items it's still a valid point basing it on your comment.

The plans STP Group have drawn up for a potential revamped Tolka Park is much more than a stadium & green space - it's a community facility, football stadium & opens up access to the River Tolka with a walkway.

petronius

It is a scandal if they build on Tolka! they seem to be in filling any patch of green. there are pitches but unless they are open to the community it is of little benefit, the land on Clonliffe (scandal the GAA was let flip that land) should be allocated for green space, there is pitches used by belvedere just over the Tolka and by stella maris off Richmond road - still it is so hard to book a pitch in the area, rosmini gaels play in plunkets!! and Whitehall teams play up near the airport!!

Shels moving to Dalyer was thought up by a greedy accountant, groundshare 1/2 the costs, get dosh from selling our asset!!!

olestoepoke

Always had a soft spot for Tolka Park...First big match I ever watched in person, if I remember correctly it was around 1981ish Home Farm v Liverpool 5-0. I was around 7 or 8 years old, still remember the buzz outside waiting to go in.

mjsc1970

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118986276#Comment_118986276

Jesus ! I just remembered I was at that one too. My first live game in a stadium.

petronius

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118599907#Comment_118599907

Yes, Dallymount, Croker, and Tolka park are close. But so is Landsdowne, the RDS, and Donnybrook, and to rub salt in some old Shels fans wounds, Shelbourne park!

Particularly in urban settings, these facilities can be developed (and need investment!) and can be used for other pursuits and clubs, and not just the club bar(which up north was probably still is an important part of income for Irish League clubs!), huddersfield town used by soccer and rugby league and have a good community outreach program, other clubs in the UK and on the continent, have community schemes uses, like hosting active aging /keep moving groups, book clubs, indoor sports or men's sheds.

starkid

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118989601#Comment_118989601

oh yeah look i´m not pro tear down Tolka Park, i live on Richmond Road. it has great history. the scale it fits into the terraced neighbourhood is great. SOme of Englands greatest grounds do the same even Anfield.

My pov was more in terms of LOI. I just think we have too many Dublin clubs to ever get it to the stage of a decent standard European league. and the stadium issues around the country do not help. I´d imagine you can´t have two advanced stadiums in this area. so Tolka won´t get the investment needed unless its all private.

And my point about green spaces was just countering the argument there was none.

I´d be pro keeping Tolka Park. I´m from Dundrum so i´d be more a casual Hoops fan. but as i´m here 6 years i´m slowly growing fond of Shels.

starkid

petronius

From Dundrum, like Duffer? well Milltown/Glenmalure Park now that was also a scandal! a relative of mine still has a faded KRAM sticker in his house. Hopefully Pats will successfully redevelop Richmond there or thereabouts.

My point is if there is alternative uses there is additional funding and revenue income. It also will build an association between the community and the club, and more fans you would hope.

Tolka did host a Rugby League World Cup match in the past? but if it was developed it could potentially host other sports (too small for a GAA match) say games for the AIL playoffs or give other clubs an option to use it for bigger games e.g. Clontarf or Belvedere College (whose pitch is just across the Tolka as well as in Cabra!) or DCU...

The Mig

Flatten the kip

Strumms

It’s mad to think how many billions successive governments have spent on various ‘projects’ and are about to again, yet cannot enable money to be granted in any serious way to sports clubs at the hearts of our history and community.

better more modern and comfortable stadia and people will ‘want’ to be there,

toffeeshel

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119012583#Comment_119012583

Thanks for your well researched and interesting contribution. Boards must be scraping the bottom of the barrel recruiting mods

SHOVELLER

As a Rovers fan I do understand that shels fans want to keep the ground but tolka is just not fit for purpose anymore. What may have been ok in the past just is not acceptable anymore. The access points are poor and the new plans while ambitious are not realistic just like sharing Dalier.

It is extremely naive to believe the river wont burst its banks again at some juncture and the decision of the council to let shels stay there is probably part of this. But without investment the facilities will only get worse, if that's possible!

When I started going to games Dalier, Tolka and Oriel were the best grounds to go to as an away fan. Only in the LOI could these get worse as time went on.

IMO Shels should look into going back to their roots. Shelbourne Park could be a runner.

brick tamland

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119019048#Comment_119019048

Shelbourne Park likley to be sold for housing soon ny all accounts, anyway isnt it owned by IGB

Anyway back on topic, looks like its staying, lets jope it sees some investment

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/soccer/tolka-park-to-remain-as-sports-ground-1.4870595

petronius

I take your point on how grounds have got worse and not better over the years.

It is a case of, use it, invest in it, or lose it. The more uses of it, the better, I worry about lines in the article how Tolka is to remain for sporting purposes for the foreseeable future.

Great to see Dalymount used yesterday for the open day for refugees