SportsGround Developments

Thanks for that seapoint.

It would appear in that case that any future application to put a permanent stand where the temporary one now stands to facilitate toilets etc aswell will be met with vigourous objections by the doggie people and the neighbours.

If thats the case is the sportsground a viable home for a growing club like connacht in the longterm.

I ask this question knowing well that connacht as it currently stands havent outgrown the sportsground and arent close to it as it stands but given the current cost of land/property as opposed to 5 yrs ago and who knows maybe 5 yrs time it might be wise to address this issue in the near future.

They appear to have 2 options available to them.

1. Remove the temp stand and extend the terracing on both sides to take in full length of pitch on Main stand side and incorporating extra toilets on both ends. This would preferably have covering in some capacity.
Build the seating area above clan terrace already granted planning permission.
This by my estimation would extend capacity to between 8000 ansd 8500 depending on fire reg. There is a significant cost invoved here but considering we currently have a connacht taoiseach and minister for sport and the irfus current goodwill towards connacht now should be the time to push ahead as this may not always e there.
2. given the current demise of senior soccer in Galway look into leasing or buying Terryland Park and using this as the venue for Games.

Option 2 on a long term lease with purchase option would probably be the better long term option given that it already has 2 seated stands in situ aswell as terracing and plenty of scope for redevelopment when needed. Its also close to city centre(walking distance) althogh not as close as sportsground.

terryland wont work. pitch is to small and max current crowd is 5000 and there is absultily no way of building and side of the pitch.

we also dont need death threats from 12year old boys i see all over facebook pages giving out currently about salthill devon. there saying galway utd should be aloud in and get rid of merve or salthill who worked there way up and has there money in order, they keep saying galway utd will never die but the fact is its long gone but thats a different story.

terryland will never happen its to small for connacht, yes we are growing and the current 7500 crowd is the min we should have, long gone are the days of 3300 sell outs,

And i thought Limerick was bad! Call the Dublin media quick!

Seriously tho its hard to see connacht reach their full potential without the neighbours cooperation and they will realistically have to be able to develop to 10000 cap minimum somewhere.

yea ure right seapoint, any development on Main stand side will have to run in line, or slightly behind, the current terrace and take into consideration the view of the prawn sandwich brigade behind the glass upstairs. Thats not a complete disaster tho as atmosphere is usually quite good on this side when the crowd is big. The big problem they face on this side is where to put the toilet facilities which are badly needed without affecting potential spectator standing areas not currently developed.
The ground elevation you mention on the college road end might help here as any terrace development would have to be raised to near pitch height thus giving potential ceiling height for a facility behind/underneath.
The beer is better on the main stand side aswell!

i think the branch will have to re think the entrance/exit to the college road terrace and relocate it to the clan terrace side. the main stand exit area is too narrow to have a merging crowd. there is a far wider exit area on the clan area which makes for a quicker and more comfortable exit.

If its True that they have planning permission for a seating area above the Clan Terrace then thats Great News.... I would be happy though with a few more gradual improvements. The Clan Terrace is now looking Great, got there last night just under an hour before kick off and got a Great position to watch the game for the whole night...more toilets...possibly improvements to the bohermore andcollege road ends..
we should be aiming to be able to cater for 10000 comfortably, Im not saying that we are expecting to get 10000 regularly but possibly if we get back into the Heineken Cup and we get another big team Like Toulouse to come again, If we are fortunate enough to get them again next year and also firstly fortunate enough to qualify we would definately top last years attendance of 9000... and at least we would have the capacity to hold such a game..

7000 + last night at the game was great... but just general small improvements to make to trip to the sportsground as enjoyable as possible!

with the season out of thw way does anyone know what improvements to the sportsground are in the pipeline for next season? It would help if they were announced esp with the Clan terrace now sold out ST wise.

with regard to the suggestions about covering(in some form) for the bohermore and college rd terracesfor next season or in future anyway did anyone take notice of the Heineken bars in the Harbour for the volvo?
It struck me as the ideal solution for both ends taking the doggies into consideration. They would obviously have to be twice+ the length but only half the depth to cover existing terrace and would have to be anchored well but could be done out in a sponsors design ala Heineken ones and deflated/dismantled easily after each game they are required for.
The cost shouldnt be too expensive and can be sponsored. I thought it would be an ideal solution but im no engineer so if anyone is what are your thoughts?

Any pictures of this Rossie??

rossie wrote: with regard to the suggestions about covering(in some form) for the bohermore and college rd terracesfor next season or in future anyway did anyone take notice of the Heineken bars in the Harbour for the volvo?
It struck me as the ideal solution for both ends taking the doggies into consideration. They would obviously have to be twice+ the length but only half the depth to cover existing terrace and would have to be anchored well but could be done out in a sponsors design ala Heineken ones and deflated/dismantled easily after each game they are required for.
The cost shouldnt be too expensive and can be sponsored. I thought it would be an ideal solution but im no engineer so if anyone is what are your thoughts?

i finally found a website that produces similar structures to what i saw at volvo. its called tectoniks.com.

sea_point wrote:

rossie wrote:

rossie wrote: with regard to the suggestions about covering(in some form) for the bohermore and college rd terracesfor next season or in future anyway did anyone take notice of the Heineken bars in the Harbour for the volvo?
It struck me as the ideal solution for both ends taking the doggies into consideration. They would obviously have to be twice+ the length but only half the depth to cover existing terrace and would have to be anchored well but could be done out in a sponsors design ala Heineken ones and deflated/dismantled easily after each game they are required for.
The cost shouldnt be too expensive and can be sponsored. I thought it would be an ideal solution but im no engineer so if anyone is what are your thoughts?

i finally found a website that produces similar structures to what i saw at volvo. its called tectoniks.com.

No disrespect, but can't see that flying Rossie. Would still require some ascent from the Doggie people and would more than likely require assembly before and dis-assembly immediately after each game which coincides with a Dogs meet due to track visibility...

To be fair to Rossie, I think its a decent idea. Anything to cover those stands would be a benefit. There are definitely cheap options out there, I suppose the structure is the most important thing. You cant have a huge cover flying off and landing on the pitch during a game