Northern Ireland Football stadium upgrades

[thebig C]

Just looking at the Ulster game the other night.....seriously impressed at the progress being made on the new stands at Ravenhill!!!!!!!

[hypnotoad24]

Originally Posted by thebig C

Just looking at the Ulster game the other night.....seriously impressed at the progress being made on the new stands at Ravenhill!!!!!!!

Sadly, the only impressive thing from the game on Friday!

Another image from the UAFC,

[ttecture]

Originally Posted by belfastuniguy

So what is everyone's opinion on the proposed Windsor stadium, i would be interested to know..

Personally i was quite impressed with what the general appearance for the size and budget. However i checked out the architects, Hamilton Architects. And they only have one design system for all their sports projects. While it shouldn't tarnish their current design, it doesn't sit well with me that a practice with so little architectural ambition should be working on potentially major local projects. Adding a slight curvature into their design and sweeping it around a curve is lazy design. They are filling Ireland with identical stadia. I'm torn.

Dundalk


Lifford:


Limerick:

[blandy]

Lazy design may also be cost effective design. If they have been able to use a well understood (both in terms of structural performance & construction cost) design concept and scale it up to achieve what they have achieved at windsor for a very tight budget then I for one won't argue. Remember it was only a year ago a lot of people thought we would be doing well to get 2 more simple stand-alone stands.

[hypnotoad24]

A few recent photos from Ravenhill, taken by user pip14 from the UAFC forum.







And this one, from Ulster Rugby's facebook page



Will be down at the School's Cup final next Monday, can't wait to see this progress properly!

[ttecture]

Originally Posted by blandy

Lazy design may also be cost effective design. If they have been able to use a well understood (both in terms of structural performance & construction cost) design concept and scale it up to achieve what they have achieved at windsor for a very tight budget then I for one won't argue. Remember it was only a year ago a lot of people thought we would be doing well to get 2 more simple stand-alone stands.

true, point well made. And it is definitely is a sign of improvement from Hamilton, but unfortunately that isn't hard.

But that saving may equally be going to the architect. I will be optimistic, and hope they can keep this clean/simple form through to construction.

[blandy]

They would save a few quid on the structural analysis I suppose but the key thing would be confidence that their construction cost estimates were good and that there will be no nasty shocks when the bids for actual construction come in (see the new police college saga for example).

[yearzero]

http://www.thedetail.tv/issues/183/w...ports-stadiums

[aaronniuk]

Mary Peters track £3million refurb has been completed in time for world police and fire games, including new 8 lane track and 400 seat stand.

http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/sports...ails.asp?id=32

[thevanishin]

Has a solution been found for the shortage of hotel beds for the Police and Fire Games?

[Ripper_Roo_NI]

Originally Posted by aaronniuk

Mary Peters track £3million refurb has been completed in time for world police and fire games, including new 8 lane track and 400 seat stand.

http://www.belfastcity.gov.uk/sports...ails.asp?id=32

I wonder if there are future plans to install further spectator seating around other areas of the tracks in years to come?

Looks decent for a starting block, but still so much more can be done with the amount of available space.

[carrickally]

Originally Posted by thevanishin

Has a solution been found for the shortage of hotel beds for the Police and Fire Games?

Stranmillis and Queens Elms will no doubt be brought into play, also possibly accomodation at UUJ?

[carrickally]

So the North Stand at Windsor, which will be maintained but tarted up in the new stadium, can only safely hold half the capacity for the Irish Cup Final because no-one can see a way of segregating Cliftonville and Glentoran fans at the rear of the Kop Stand to let the Glenmen out to Olympia Drive, instead insisting that they all go out the exit gates to the forecourt.

It'll be a great stadium for internationals, not great for domestic matches but then the IFA only care about the Green and White Army.

[citybus]

Originally Posted by carrickally

but then the IFA only care about the Green and White Army.

I don't know, all the other teams are convinced that all the IFA care about is subsidising the blues.

I'll get my coat

[Ripper_Roo_NI]

Originally Posted by citybus

I don't know, all the other teams are convinced that all the IFA care about is subsidising the blues.

I'll get my coat

Sure we (Linfield) ARE the IFA

[Sky Blue Red]

Your'e not wrong there Ripper.

[jpgjohnnyg]

Oh dear looks like crusaders have thrown a spanner in the works. To be honest Im surprised one of the other league teams didnt do this ages ago as the whole IFA/Linfield arrangement is and always has been a little bit dodgy. A new stadium in a different area should have been built but the IFA seemed adamant in staying at Windsor. The only problem now is Crusaders have left it so long that any further delay may result in the funding being stopped altogether boo.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/sp...-29203956.html

[hypnotoad24]

Some new images from Ravenhill, courtesy of the Ulster Rugby facebook page. Starting to look very tidy indeed.





Plenty more photos here:

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...0790822&type=3