IRELAND - Stadium and Arena Development News

[aaronniuk]

Just thought id start a general thread on all things 'norn iron' stadium developments....

rumours etc...

whatever happened to stadia group. the people behind the 'new' ards and carrick rangers stadiums... they built the livingstone stadium in Scotland then disappeared.

anybody anymore pics of how the New stand at shamrock is coming along?

Solitude...any new pics .....

does anybody have a picture of ballymena uniteds grand scheme for the showgrounds....i remember seeing an artists impression of the finished stadium in a programme for the ballymena vs bolton friendly about 5 years ago. it was a match to officially open the new stand.....

anymore recent photos of the completed shelter at institute.....

[G.C.]

I have made threads on them, they are a couple pages back because no one is interested in them.

[BeestonLad]

Ireland's stadiums are poor even when compared to a country like New Zealand with a similar population. The new lansdowne road looks good though, if a little small

[NeilF]

Beeston Lad, it really depends how you choose to view it; most domestic sport in Ireland, be that Northern Ireland or Republic of Ireland, simply doesn't compare to domestic sport in New Zealand.

If we take rugby union as an example; in 2007 the Super 14 had an average attendance of 23,000 or so, compared with an average Magners League attendance of 6,000 (although this figure is falsely lowered by poor attendances in Scotland and Connacht; a median value would be closer to 8,000). New Zealand also has Cricket and Rugby League requirements which are simply non-existent anywhere in Ireland. Ireland has GAA, which are non-existent in New Zealand - that said, the GAA is a strictly amateur organisation, so the money in the sport isn't huge; GAA stadia are large, but are predominantly uncovered terraces. GAA has a big following but there isn't vast sums available for redevelopment of GAA stadia, apart from Croke Park.

Stadia in Ireland are, generally, poor because of a lack of money in the domestic game. New Zealand is not comparable to Ireland in anything other than population; in terms of the money involved in domestic sport, NZ is in a totally different league.

All of that said, despite so little money being available for redevelopment in Ireland, a number of projects are underway, or planned.

As this is a thread about the Irish League, I'll ignore the renovations carried out at a few GAA stadia in Northern Ireland and the proposed redevelopment of Ravenhill (home of Ulster Rugby).

Carrick Rangers:

Announced plans for a new 4,000 all-seated capacity stadium on their current Taylor's Avenue site in 2002 at a cost of £3m.


Cliftonville:

New North (Away) Stand built in 2001 with an all-seated capacity of 860.



New South Stand currently under constuction with an all-seated capacity of 1,600 and new dressing room facilities included.



(Photo courtesy of G.C.)

Coleraine:

Council proposals either for an entirely new stadium built on the current site of the Coleraine Showgrounds or in the Rugby Aveneue area of the town.

Crusaders:

Announced plans to leave their current home, Seaview, earlier this year. Are currently in talks with Newtonabbey Council over a potential move to the Valley Park site in the borough. Proposed ground share with amateur league side Newington YC. Plans have, apparently, been discussed for a 4,000 seater stadium, a soccer dome and a sports residential village.

Glenavon:

Rumoured to be considering a modern redevelopment of Mourneview Park. Details, at least from my own searches, have been unforthcoming.

Glentoran:

Sold their current home, The Oval, to a development company in 2003 but have since been unable to find a suitable location for their proposed new stadium. Recent suggestions about a possible new-build ground-share project with Ulster Rugby have arisen. Converted a covered terrace in the ground to an all-seated area for away fans.

Institute:

Recently constructed a covered terrace with a standing room capacity of 750. New facilities at Riverside Stadium include drug testing facilities, ladies changing facilities and a first aid station.



(Photo courtesy of G.C.)

Larne:

Larne Council promised, in 2006, to explore the feasibility of developing a new outdoor competition / multisports stadium in the town. Further details have not been forthcoming.

Newry City:

Plans to replace the south terrace at the Newry Showgrounds with an all-seated stand.

Portadown:

Are currently in the process of redeveloping Shamrock Park by building two 2,000 all-seated capacity stands at either side of the ground. New facilities will include new changing rooms and bars.



(Picture courtesy of G.C.)

[G.C.]

Anyone know who the moderators of this section are?

[G.C.]

Solitude Development:

Demolition of the 'Cage' started in early November, making way for a new 1000 seater sand.

[G.C.]

Pillions have been added.

[G.C.]

Originally Posted by NeilF

Nice to see the work at Solitude coming along. Do you know why there is to be more rows of seating / steeper rake or something at the far end than at the near end in the above picture? I've noticed this with the other new stand behind the other goal as well; it doesn't seem to be a space issue...

I have the architects drawings somewhere, but there is going to be media facilites in the far corner.

[G.C.]

Shamrock Park Delelopment:

Support structure their new 2000 seater stand is being put into place:











This is stage two of their development of their ground:

1. A stand build four years ago, holding 900 at one end of the ground, initaly for away supporters.
2. This 2000 seater stand replacing the Shed Terace.
3. Pitch will be moved up to the 900 seater stand along with new floodlights installed
4. A clone of this stand on the opposite side.

Initialy this new stand will be for the home supporters, but will be given to the away supporters when phase 4 in completed.

[G.C.]

Half the steel work is completed:

[G.C.]

Architects drawings:

[G.C.]

Renders of the new stand:

[G.C.]

Originally Posted by NeilF

Thank for the pics, G.C. Seems Shamrock Park is going to be one of the best in the Irish League for a couple of seasons at least. Any word on how much these new stands are costing? What have they got in the way of facilities?

Originally Posted by G.C.

There are going to be two bars under this new one, replacing the Social and the Challet as the choice areas to have a drink. And while the work is getting done on the current home stand there wil be temporary changing rooms installed.

Dont know the exact cost, but from what ive been told from someone in the business, 1000 seats cost one million, so were looking at a figure of 2 million, then labour costs have to be included.

[G.C.]

Riverside Development:

Institute FC hae constructed a 750 capacity covered terrace to bring them up to the new IFA Invitational League standard, as well as drug testing facilities, ladies changing facilities and a first aid station.











The new stand is located at the far end of this photo.


They also aim to expand the away stand to bring the ground up to the 3000 capacity mark.

[G.C.]

[G.C.]

[G.C.]

The stand is completed and will be open today for the visit of Glentoran.

[G.C.]

Mourneview Park Development:

NEW STAND FOR CRESCENT END

ONE of the most famous stands in the Irish League is set to be redeveloped.
Applications have been submitted to build a new 1,500 all-seater stand at the Crescent End to replace the current stand.
An application has also been made to begin work on a 1,000 seater stand at the Hospital End, which had been revealed to shareholders at the club’s AGM two years ago and linked to the proposed shopping development along the front of the ground.
When completed Mourneview Park will have become a 5,000 all seater stadium, and most likely the first all seater stadium in Northern Ireland outside Belfast.
The club’s Chairman, Adrian Teer, revealed: “We have been encouraged in our applications by the football authorities.
“As part of the IFA’s 10 year plan it is earmarked for a 5,000 seater stadium in Craigavon and we would hope that our plans would see that be at Mourneview Park.
“There are, however, a few issues which still need to be sorted out but we would be hopeful of resolving these. Until then we do not know when work will start on either stand.
“The plans had been in place for the Hospital End but when the new board came in we were back at square one. We’ve since met with Euro Construction and discussions have been going well between the two parties.”
It will be the first major redevelopment of the Crescent End since 1991 when the Crescent Stand was built, costing £50,000 and providing cover for several thousand people standing.
And in 2001, in time for the club’s UEFA Cup qualifying first leg game with Kilmarnock, seating was added to the stand but, at the request of supporters standing room was left.
The Crescent End has always had a place in the heart of the Glenavon faithful. It is seen as the hub of the atmosphere created by a group of young fans known simply as the Crescent Enders.
Ian ‘Skin’ McKinney is one of those who can be found at the back of the Crescent End at every home game. “Of course I’ll be sad to see it go, but that’s the price of progress,” he said.
“I have plenty of happy memories there. For instance, I’ll never forget Paul Rice ending up in the back of the net there when he scored the winning penalty against Bangor last season – easily one of my favourite moments there.
“The best goal I have seen there and probably the best goal I have ever seen would have to be Alan O’Connor’s goal in the InterToto Cup against Slaven Bleupo.
“My one fear about the size of the stand – it’s a lot of seats and I’d fear that supporters would end up being ‘lost’ at the back of the stand. However, I’ll trust the board’s judgement on this one,” he said.

[G.C.]

Seaview Development:

Crusaders have added seats to their main stand.









New exit gates have also been added on the terracing




Crusaders plan for a stand at the Shore Road end to bring them up to standard.

[lpioe]

Are there new requirements for stadiums of the IPL or do all these clubs renovate there stadiums out of own will?


Btw the mods of this section are: asohn, baqthier, Rainier Meadows, jmancuso