GAA Infastructure

iDave · 11-12-2014 10:20am

Looks like a redevelopment on the way for Dr Hyde

http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=228938

Makes sense, this venue holds some provincial finals so should be a higher standard than it is now. Amazing to think this place is considered good enough to hold actual finals. Only in Ireland

keane2097 · 11-12-2014 1:14pm

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/business/commercial-property/gaa-looking-to-expand-croke-park-1.2031953

Sounds good at first but I fear it could be a big disappointment. Terms like urban village set alarm bells ringing for me, just buzz words with no specific meaning. It could be a horrible soulless modern area shoehorned into somewhere it doesn't belong, totally at odds with its surroundings. What is the point of restaurants which will be too crowded on match days and empty every other day of the year?

It should just be an open space for people to congregate before and after matches. It could be a fan zone type area with food vendors and even buskers which would be full of activity and create a great atmosphere. The site is also too small for this boulevard and new homes also, DDC should sell the entire site and use the money to build homes on one of the many vacant sites which are empty due to their lack of funds.

Why would they be empty every other day of the year? It's Drumcondra.

kksaints · 11-12-2014 1:23pm

keane2097 wrote: »

Why would they be empty every other day of the year? It's Drumcondra.

Actually isnt that Ballybough? Plans seems interesting enough anyway and that place is fairly run down looking and could do with a regeneration programme.

keane2097 · 11-12-2014 1:53pm

kksaints wrote: »

Actually isnt that Ballybough? Plans seems interesting enough anyway and that place is fairly run down looking and could do with a regeneration programme.

It's somewhere in the middle AFAIK.

In any case, the idea of the area around Croke Park being some sort of ghost town when the GAA isn't around is bizarre and probably why all the culchies were losing their mind over not being allowed to **** all over the place for five nights in a row of Garth Brooks hoe-downs.

salmocab · 11-12-2014 5:36pm

Jaysus 2 redevelopment stories in 2 days, good times are back everyone has money again.

nice_guy80 · 11-12-2014 5:47pm

the GAA plans for Croke Park will be objected to.
The Handball crowd in Dublin are not happy with the facilities being proposed.

salmocab · 11-12-2014 5:59pm

Using one big entrance for Croker could be interesting although it means 80000 people walking down the same roads so can see objections there and the likes of jurys are unlikely to be too pleased that they are no longer right beside the entrance to the Hogan side of the ground. I foresee this going on for quite a few years.

Colm R · 11-12-2014 6:05pm

salmocab wrote: »

Using one big entrance for Croker could be interesting although it means 80000 people walking down the same roads so can see objections there and the likes of jurys are unlikely to be too pleased that they are no longer right beside the entrance to the Hogan side of the ground. I foresee this going on for quite a few years.

I would imagine it would only be the entrance for the Davin and Cusack - the Hogan would still be accessed from the Jones road.

salmocab · 11-12-2014 6:10pm

Colm R wrote: »

I would imagine it would only be the entrance for the Davin and Cusack - the Hogan would still be accessed from the Jones road.

that would make sense alright but its not what the article says. The Hogan entrance is fine at the moment.

Coillte_Bhoy · 11-12-2014 7:12pm

iDave wrote: »

Looks like a redevelopment on the way for Dr Hyde

http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=228938

Makes sense, this venue holds some provincial finals so should be a higher standard than it is now. Amazing to think this place is considered good enough to hold actual finals. Only in Ireland

Actually its not and hanst been for a few years

iDave · 12-12-2014 10:11am

Coillte_Bhoy wrote: »

Actually its not and hanst been for a few years

2012 wasn't that long ago.

Coillte_Bhoy · 12-12-2014 7:43pm

iDave wrote: »

2012 wasn't that long ago.

True, thought it was longer than that

iDave · 15-12-2014 11:47am

Casement planning permission denied

http://hoganstand.com/ArticleForm.aspx?ID=229121

Pete_Cavan · 15-12-2014 12:03pm

Croke Villas is in Ballybough or Summerhill, it certainly isnt Drumcondra.

The Hyde certainly is in need of a major overhaul. The new stands should be designed with the possibility to temporarily increase capacity when needed. 20k standard capacity with the ability to increase to 30k temporarily for a Connaught final would be sufficient. We should be looking to build that kind of flexibility into stadiums going forward rather than sizing them for one off events.

Not surprised Casement was rejected, I always thought the site was too small to accommodate the stadium. There is public park on the other side of the M1, Musgrave Park, has lots of space and has better road access and is beside a train station, it is an ideal location for the new stadium.

iDave · 15-12-2014 12:20pm

The Hyde certainly is in need of a major overhaul. The new stands should be designed with the possibility to temporarily increase capacity when needed. 20k standard capacity with the ability to increase to 30k temporarily for a Connaught final would be sufficient. We should be looking to build that kind of flexibility into stadiums going forward rather than sizing them for one off events.

Something like temporary seats at the RDS or in Tallaght for the Europa League? Not a bad idea but probably too imaginative for GAA stadium designers.
You could probably do that for Dublin away games but I'm sure the Leinster Council will find a reason not to do it.

Not surprised Casement was rejected, I always thought the site was too small to accommodate the stadium. There is public park on the other side of the M1, Musgrave Park, has lots of space and has better road access and is beside a train station, it is an ideal location for the new stadium

Where to now? This came about when the NI Executive offered a ball of money. Do you find a different site in Belfast or redistribute to all the 6 counties. Keeping in mind Casement had been lined up as an RWC QF venue.

Hibbeler · 15-12-2014 2:01pm

iDave wrote: »

Something like temporary seats at the RDS or in Tallaght for the Europa League? Not a bad idea but probably too imaginative for GAA stadium designers.
You could probably do that for Dublin away games but I'm sure the Leinster Council will find a reason not to do it.

That's actually a really good idea. Or another option could be to build a covered seated stand but with the option to remove the seating and convert to a terrace if/when an additional capacity is required. Perhaps the rail type seating that's seen in places like Germany could be looked at.

ardmacha · 15-12-2014 2:08pm

Casement Park redevelopment: Minister acted unlawfully by granting approvalBreaking news
Northern Ireland's environment minister acted unlawfully in approving a new GAA stadium in west Belfast, a High Court judge has ruled.

Planning permission for the 38,000-seater stadium was granted by Mark H Durkan in December 2013.

Local residents who objected to the size of the planned development launched a legal challenge in response.

Mr Justice Horner held the decision making process around the decision was "fundamentally flawed".

He identified failures in the environmental impact assessment of the increased facilities and an unrealistic reliance by the Department of the Environment (DoE) on an existing 32,600 capacity as a baseline for the project.

With far fewer spectators normally attending matches at the current ground, the judge also found that the effect of bigger crowds on the surrounding roads network had not been properly examined.

However, he did not quash the minister's decision.

Instead, lawyers for the DoE, the GAA and a residents group who mounted the legal challenge are to make further submissions on appropriate remedies.

Local residents claimed the proposed £76m stadium would be too big for the area.

The GAA's provincial body, the Ulster Council, said a 38,000 capacity was needed for the staging of Ulster Senior football finals and All-Ireland quarter-finals.

The redevelopment of Casement Park is part of the government's policy to upgrade the three major sports grounds in Belfast - football's Windsor Park, Ulster's rugby ground at Ravenhill and the Gaelic games stadium at Casement.

Three new stands have been constructed at Ravenhill.

Work on modernising Windsor Park, the home of Irish League club Linfield and the Northern Ireland international team, is ongoing.

Cosmo Kramer · 15-12-2014 2:27pm

Pete_Cavan wrote: »

There is public park on the other side of the M1, Musgrave Park, has lots of space and has better road access and is beside a train station, it is an ideal location for the new stadium.

I'm no expert on Belfast but would the other side of the M1 not be less suitable for a GAA stadium for, you know, political reasons...

Pete_Cavan · 16-12-2014 4:48pm

iDave wrote: »

Something like temporary seats at the RDS or in Tallaght for the Europa League? Not a bad idea but probably too imaginative for GAA stadium designers.

The GAAs stadium designers are the architects and engineer who the county board engages for a particular project, they design to the brief and budget given to them. The brief for stadia going forward should be an appropriate fixed capacity with the ability to increase for one off big games. A simple and cheap solution for this would be no fixed stand behind the goals, only footings to take temporary stands similar to that used in the RDS. I am sure there are more complicated designs which could be developed but would be more expensive to build.

Mal-Adjusted · 16-12-2014 5:40pm

I really don't understand the mentality of building stadiums as either huge legacies or else designing them to accommodate a capacity that will only be realized (at most) once every year or two. I'd rather a modest, modern stadium with great facilities (see: covered stands, actual seats and toilet facilities you don't need a haz-mat suit to go near) than a horrible lump of galvanize and concrete that boasts about 55,000 capacity.

Browning · 16-12-2014 6:51pm

Lets just sort out the mess at some of the existing grounds first. I think of our own Conleths Park in Newbridge. I know they spent a lot of cash this year, but it is still way off the required standard. Why go build more white elephants ?

zetecescort · 18-12-2014 8:40pm

The High Court in Belfast has quashed the decision to grant planning permission to the GAA to turn Casement Park into a 38,000-seat stadium.

http://www.rte.ie/sport/gaa/2014/1218/667739-belfast-high-court-quashes-casement-park-plans/

nice_guy80 · 19-12-2014 12:01am

I'm glad someone is calling a halt to the madness.

Pity someone wouldn't do the same for Pairv Ui Chaoimh

The Lost Sheep · 19-12-2014 12:13am

nice_guy80 wrote: »

I'm glad someone is calling a halt to the madness.

Pity someone wouldn't do the same for Pairv Ui Chaoimh

Why would it be a bad thing for Pairc ui Chaoimhs redevelopment to be stopped?

nice_guy80 · 19-12-2014 12:37am

The Lost Sheep wrote: »

Why would it be a bad thing for Pairc ui Chaoimhs redevelopment to be stopped?

It is a waste of money for a stadium that'll be barely used.
Some county grounds have terrible basic facilities for spectators and many counties don't have county training grounds for their teams.

nice_guy80 · 19-12-2014 9:04am

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/galway-gaa-awaits-planning-decision-on-pearse-stadium-floodlights-1.2043253

Pearse Stadium is in a horrible location, for parking and just driving across to it and should never have been redeveloped.

WesternZulu · 19-12-2014 11:10am

nice_guy80 wrote: »

http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/gaelic-games/galway-gaa-awaits-planning-decision-on-pearse-stadium-floodlights-1.2043253

Pearse Stadium is in a horrible location, for parking and just driving across to it and should never have been redeveloped.

Well as a Mayo man I'm just happy they're not in Tuam anymore...a ground we never had much luck.

iDave · 03-02-2015 12:50pm

What do we make of some of the talk regarding a main Connacht stadium.
As far as I'm aware the final alternates between Pearse, McHale and Hyde based on H&A agreements.
Cant see Galway, Mayo or Roscommon backing down and letting one ground host all the finals.

J Cheever Loophole · 04-02-2015 9:10am

iDave wrote: »

What do we make of some of the talk regarding a main Connacht stadium.

Definitely the way forward but I'm not sure it will happen, given the investment there has been at Pearse Stadium and McHale Park.

In Ulster we have no real issue with Clones being used and hopefully Casement Park will take on that role going forward. The reason for this is that most of our stadia have a capacity around the 15,000 - 20,000 mark and are unsuitable for provincial finals anyway.

Looking long term, the ideal scenario would surely be to have one stadium in each province that has a 40 - 50,000 capacity and every other county within that province having a modern ground holding 10 - 20,000 - the priority in all this being spectator comfort and health and safety.

blue note · 04-02-2015 12:03pm

iDave wrote: »

What do we make of some of the talk regarding a main Connacht stadium.
As far as I'm aware the final alternates between Pearse, McHale and Hyde based on H&A agreements.
Cant see Galway, Mayo or Roscommon backing down and letting one ground host all the finals.

I'd say it will largely depend on how the income from matches is split. In Munster we should really just have the one big stadium which could easily cater for all the big Munster matches. However, a cut of the gates (I think an eighth) goes to the host county. So there's an incentive for counties to have big stadiums so that they can host occasional Munster finals and other big games. 4 counties have these stadiums, so that portion of the income is split between the 4 counties instead of the six. And of course Cork feel that they should have one because they're the third biggest city in Ireland.

The GAA missed an opportunity overhaul stadiums in this country during the boom years, but they should still go ahead and centralise it. It will take longer, but a centralised plan would benefit everyone in the long run.

GAA Infastructure

Comments