Massive floodlights to line Galway skyline over Galway bay

KevR

SimpleSam06 wrote: »

Parking for 30,000. Think about it.

Having given it some thought I have drawn the following conclusions:

• Not all spectators that attend Pearse Stadium use a car to get there.
• Those that do use a car - there's hardly going to be an average of one person per car is there?
• Any person attending who is under the age of 17 definitely won't use a car to get there (so they'll either come via some other form of transport or come along with someone else in a car).
• Therefore, I personally doubt very much that there will be anywhere near 30,000 cars in the vicinity on any given match day.

While I don't live in the immediate vicinity of Pearse Stadium, I do live pretty near. We can hear the noise of the crowd and the stadium announcer from outside our house. On very big matchdays we sometimes get people parking outside our house (thankfully they have never blocked our drive way or anything like that). We do get affected by the extra traffic in the area on big matchdays.

It doesn't really bother me to be honest, I actually quite enjoy the atmosphere/buzz that a matchday/concert brings to the area. Although I do understand this won't be the case for everyone.

I like the stadium being near where I live because I can walk to a match if I'm going and like I said I enjoy the atmosphere that it brings. I stand by what I said - that I wouldn't like to see Pearse Stadium being replaced by some purpose built stadium in an industrial estate on the East Side.

schween

Salthill residents complaining again. Nothing new there.

SimpleSam06

SimpleSam06 wrote: »

I'd wager those stadiums come with adequate parking facilities, however.

I would gladly take your wager as they do not. Just as a example the emirates stadium were Arsenal play does not have a car park atall and of all the stadiums which I have visited, Anfield, Stamford bridge and the emirates to name a few have had at most parking for the players and maybe a few VIP's if any parking atall.

SimpleSam06

KevR wrote: »

Therefore, I personally doubt very much that there will be anywhere near 30,000 cars in the vicinity on any given match day.

Well, I didn't say parking for 30,000 cars. If you live near the area you must know the chaos caused by a big match though - maybe if they put the car park on the east side or just laid on buses from the square? I'd go so far as to say that considerably more people have no interest in GAA games than otherwise.

Reece Curved Tutu wrote: »

I would gladly take your wager as they do not. Just as a example the emirates stadium were Arsenal play does not have a car park atall and of all the stadiums which I have visited, Anfield, Stamford bridge and the emirates to name a few have had at most parking for the players and maybe a few VIP's if any parking atall.

The stadiums you mention are all in major metropolitan areas, Liverpool and London, which can easily accommodate many more visitors than Galway. If the one in Liverpool had seating for a quarter of a million, and the one in London had seating for four million, you'd have an equivalent problem.

KevR

SimpleSam06 wrote: »

maybe if they put the car park on the east side or just laid on buses from the square?

Would actually be a good idea having maybe a Park & Ride from the racecourse on big match days. I'm sure it would appeal to people coming from outside of Galway. They could park in the racecourse and not have to worry about battling their way across the city in the traffic and then struggling to find a parking space. If advertised properly, I'm sure it'd make money for those who decided to lay on such a service (GAA or Bus Eireann). Also, special matchday buses from Eyre Square would be good business for Bus Eireann. If they had a good service in place it would encourage people to come to Galway on trains/buses for matches because they could get a convenient connection from the train station/Square. As it stands, it's not attractive to travel this way.

Don't know why Bus Eireann and the GAA don't organise something like this, they could probably make money from it and it would help traffic congestion near the stadium on matchdays.

Sconsey

skelliser wrote: »

imo its scaremongering/not in my back garden rubbish being pushed by some residents on rockbarton road, last season there was only 2/3 major matches.
Have a bit of pride in the jersey! sure dont they get all the free tickets they want!

2/3 major matches, 1 or 2 club matches every weekend throught the GAA season, and a few mid week also. The guards rarely even show their faces for the club games so the supporters "park" anywhere and everywhere...
And yeah, it is exactly a not in my backyard thing, would you like big frigging floodlights shining in every window in your house?, would you like idiots parking in your driveway?, would you like some idiot on a tannoy waking your kids at night? would you like four masts looming over youe when you go out in your garden/look out the window? I doubt it, and I (and everyone else in the neighbourhood) will be doing everything we can to prevent it.


Pride in the jersey? I lost all that when I saw the kind of people that are running Galway Gaa, and no, never got a free ticket from them, they know where i would tell them to stick their tickets :rolleyes:

citycentre

If you live in a city you have to live with the consequences as well as the benefits. A city is all about having a mixture of uses and functions operating side by side. Sports stadiums are one of those uses and it's not unreasonable to expect a Sports Stadium to develop and improve as time goes on such as installing floodlights. If you can't deal with having such facilities that serve the whole community "in your backyard" then move. It's like someone choosing to live on Quay Street complaining about noise from the pubs...

Sconsey

BTH wrote: »

If you live in a city you have to live with the consequences as well as the benefits. A city is all about having a mixture of uses and functions operating side by side. Sports stadiums are one of those uses and it's not unreasonable to expect a Sports Stadium to develop and improve as time goes on such as installing floodlights. If you can't deal with having such facilities that serve the whole community "in your backyard" then move. It's like someone choosing to live on Quay Street complaining about noise from the pubs...

Your argument works both ways....if the GAA choose to put a stadium in a resedintial area they have to live with the consequences....the planning laws for the area state that the light levels for a resedential area cannot exceed certain values, the floodlights would exceed those values....the GAA should have considred all this before developing a stadium in a resedential area, if the GAA can't deal with if they should move somewhere else.

citycentre

Sconsey wrote: »

Your argument works both ways....if the GAA choose to put a stadium in a resedintial area they have to live with the consequences....the planning laws for the area state that the light levels for a resedential area cannot exceed certain values, the floodlights would exceed those values....the GAA should have considred all this before developing a stadium in a resedential area, if the GAA can't deal with if they should move somewhere else.

Pearse Stadium was opened as Galway's county ground in 1957. Most of the houses in the vicinity were built afterwards.

Sconsey

BTH wrote: »

Pearse Stadium was opened as Galway's county ground in 1957. Most of the houses in the vicinity were built afterwards.

So it's not a resedential area?

citycentre

Sconsey wrote: »

So it's not a resedential area?

It's a mixed-use area. Residential AND sportsground. Anyone who has ever built or bought a house in the area has known well that they will have the Galway county GAA ground to contend with. The addition of floodlights seems like a completely natural development of the venue to me and really, if it comes down to light levels (which is the only half-logical argument against their provision) then maybe some decent black-out blinds would be an idea...

skelliser

14 stories high, me hole!
lets put this into context:
Are you honestly saying that these lights will be taller then liberty hall in dublin ffs!! 14 stories is more then twice as high as the eyre square shopping centre carpark!!your havin a laugh
i doubt theres any floodlights in europe that are anywhere near 14 stories high.

you've taken scaremongering to new heights! pardon the pun!

SimpleSam06

BTH wrote: »

Pearse Stadium was opened as Galway's county ground in 1957. Most of the houses in the vicinity were built afterwards.

Eh much as I realise that change is not part of the remit of the fossils in charge of the GAA, you can't deal with residential and planning issues on a first come first serve basis. The fact is there is a huge residential community in the area now, and their needs must be taken into consideration, and they have to come before those of a sports association.

citycentre

SimpleSam06 wrote: »

Eh much as I realise that change is not part of the remit of the fossils in charge of the GAA, you can't deal with residential and planning issues on a first come first serve basis. The fact is there is a huge residential community in the area now, and their needs must be taken into consideration, and they have to come before those of a sports association.

I happen to disagree. I'll repeat. Anyone who has built or bought a house in the area must have been fully aware that an adjacent major sporting facility was part of the deal. They should have built or bought somewhere else if the existence and development of said facility was going to be a problem. Another comparison - it's like choosing to live overlooking the docks then complaining about the noise from their workings or that the Volvo Boat Race is going to disrupt their lives in some way (as I've heard from some people). Ridiculous. It's a complete waste of time objecting to the floodlights on the grounds that it's a "residential area" now because planners WILL take into account that Pearse Stadium was the first land use in the area and that residents knew it was there all along.

Sorry to be so dismissive of the concerns of the residents but really, as even the Croke Park lighting installation has shown, the impact, visual and in terms of light "pollution" of these floodlights is going to be so minimal that the objections seem completely hysterical to me. The Rockbarton & Dr. Mannix Rd. areas are still going to be extremely desirable (precisely because of their proximity to the facilities of Salthill and the city centre.). People need to get a grip and stop allowing the snobbish GAA-hating element in the locality to whip up such exaggerated nonsense about 14 storey height towers, 30,000 cars and ultra high powered phone masts...

What the locals should be doing is trying to make sure that when these floodlights go in that they are the most high-tech, perfectly focussed with minimal "spillage" models that are available and that the masts holding the floodlights should be beautifully designed (perhaps like the collapsible one at the Hill16 end of Croke Park which is actually quite attractive for a utilitarian object.). I know damn well myself that Galway County Board will try to go for the cheapest option they can find but the planning process can push them to do something better if constructive observations are submitted.

JohnCleary

BTH wrote: »

Another comparison - it's like choosing to live overlooking the docks then complaining about the noise from their workings or that the Volvo Boat Race is going to disrupt their lives in some way (as I've heard from some people). Ridiculous.

This really cracks me up - Some eejit on here yesterday saying that they hope they get free tickets to concerts etc. (eventhough it's going to be open-air duhhhhh) because of the noise that will be created as they live by the docks - Who are you kidding? You choose to live in a commercial area of the city where work is carried out 24/7 (mainly due to tidal restrictions) and you seek compensation/expect people to only work certain hours? Docks was there longgggg before any apartments in that area

mikemac

I was a Croke Park resident when the lights were installed.
You can multiply the hysteria from some residents by many times compared to the OP here.
Someone went on national radio and quoted Human rights and matches restricted our "freedom of movement" in the area :eek:
Salthill residents seem tame in comparison

The lights weren't only on for matches.
During midweek, they often be on for several hours, I assume for tests. So they may be on for a few days a week even if there is no game.

Light pollution? The whole area was lit up, I thought it looked fantastic but it was usually swiched off by 10pm
Sure when they were first installed, they knocked out the power for most of Drumcondra for an hour:D

You move to an area beside a county stadium, don't come bitching here.

mikemac

JohnCleary wrote: »

.... they live by the docks - Who are you kidding? You choose to live in a commercial area of the city where work is carried out 24/7 (mainly due to tidal restrictions) and you seek compensation/expect people to only work certain hours? Docks was there longgggg before any apartments in that area

OT but they were a very interesting documentary on TG4 a few weeks back. Tidal restrictions realy hamper Galway port so there are plans for a deep water port in Rossaveal (sorry, poor spelling)
I know this was proposed years ago but it looks pretty certain and can be done at a fraction of developing a similar port in Galway
Twas interesting

Sconsey

BTH wrote: »

It's a mixed-use area. Residential AND sportsground. Anyone who has ever built or bought a house in the area has known well that they will have the Galway county GAA ground to contend with.

Wrong, the city developmet plan describes it as a mature residential suburb.

Sconsey

skelliser wrote: »

14 stories high, me hole!
lets put this into context:
Are you honestly saying that these lights will be taller then liberty hall in dublin ffs!! 14 stories is more then twice as high as the eyre square shopping centre carpark!!your havin a laugh
i doubt theres any floodlights in europe that are anywhere near 14 stories high.

you've taken scaremongering to new heights! pardon the pun!

Have you actually looked at the plans? I have and the engineering plans put them at a total heigth of 39 metres. Do you know the heigth of an average storey in a building? it's about 2.8 - 3 metres. Do the math.
You should really check your facts before accusing people of scaremongering.

But now maybe you can at least get an idea why people are mad about what the GAA are proposing....floodlights that high are waaay out of order.

JohnCleary

micmclo wrote: »

OT but they were a very interesting documentary on TG4 a few weeks back. Tidal restrictions realy hamper Galway port so there are plans for a deep water port in Rossaveal (sorry, poor spelling)
I know this was proposed years ago but it looks pretty certain and can be done at a fraction of developing a similar port in Galway
Twas interesting

OT again sorry Was at a meeting not so long ago with one of the Galway Harbour staff and they said that they've got the 'go ahead from Europe' (Whatever that means) to start planning for the extension at Galway Harbour which will be like a big finger developement coming out from the area behind Galway Harbour Enterprise Park which will mean boats can come and go without depending on the tide.

What would have been a great idea would have been to lay oil pipes when they were building the sewage treatment plant so that at least the fuel tankers could unload there, as there's deep water right up to the shore of Mutton Island. This had been thought out, but uproar from a certain local residents group threw that plan out the window

galwayrush

Excellent news regarding the docks developement.:cool:
I believe the plans include a rail link to transport the cargo from the new waterfront to an inland distrubition point.

mikemac

JohnCleary wrote: »

What would have been a great idea would have been to lay oil pipes when they were building the sewage treatment plant so that at least the fuel tankers could unload there, as there's deep water right up to the shore of Mutton Island. This had been thought out, but uproar from a certain local residents group threw that plan out the window

That's the first thing I've heard or even considered that idea.
It's simple and brilliant. Fair play to who came up with it!

Who could object? People don't want to see tankers stopping for a few hours in their line of sight?

galwayrush

Here in Galway we have "Serial Objectors" that oppose almost everything.
The same names seem to crop up in every objection.:rolleyes:

JohnCleary

I've started a new thread re. Docks Development as this thread is only gonna go off topic otherwise

citycentre

Sconsey wrote: »

Wrong, the city developmet plan describes it as a mature residential suburb.

If we draw a circle around Pearse Stadium on the city development plan maps to encompass the area thet will notionally be affected by the development of floodlights at the ground you'll find that it contains a residential area (marked in yellow) a 30,00 capacity stadium (marked in green as Recreational & Amenity Use) and also some Community, Cultural and Institutional Uses (Marked in Pink).

I believe that constitutes a mix of uses. Insisting that it's a purely residential area makes no sense at all.

JohnCleary

micmclo wrote: »

That's the first thing I've heard or even considered that idea.
It's simple and brilliant. Fair play to who came up with it!

Who could object? People don't want to see tankers stopping for a few hours in their line of sight?

Pretty much everyone had that idea in their head. When the Sewage Treatment Plant was being planned, there were HUGE HUGE HUGE objections from that same local residents group (They didn't seem to want clean water in Galway Bay :rolleyes:). Eventually they receeded their objections on the Sewage Treatment Plant on the grounds that oil pipes would NOT be laid on Mutton Island/Causeway area - I think the group managed to get this agreement laid down (excuse the pun) due to some Health & Safety sh1te, but don't quote me on the last part

skelliser

Sconsey wrote: »

Have you actually looked at the plans? I have and the engineering plans put them at a total heigth of 39 metres. Do you know the heigth of an average storey in a building? it's about 2.8 - 3 metres. Do the math.
You should really check your facts before accusing people of scaremongering.

liberty hall in dublin is 16storeys at 60metres height. county hall in cork is 17 storeys at 67metres high. 39 metres does not equal 14 storeys.
Average height in a tall building per floor is 11/12 foot, you need to include the floor and ceiling.

I said it already, these floodlights will be equivalent in height to the ones at the sports ground.

skelliser

Sconsey wrote: »

You should really check your facts before accusing people of scaremongering.

The title of this thread is "Massive floodlights to line Galway skyline over Galway bay" if that isnt scaremongering then i dont know what is.
Also, I dont remember hearing any objection or any sensationalism to the floodlights in terryland and college road.

And if i remember correctly the residents in rockbarton road were originally against the re-development of pearse stadium.

SimpleSam06

BTH wrote: »

I happen to disagree. I'll repeat. Anyone who has built or bought a house in the area must have been fully aware that an adjacent major sporting facility was part of the deal.

That's not licence for GAA authorities to do anything they want with the area however. Things change, the existence of the GAA itself is proof if that.

BTH wrote: »

They should have built or bought somewhere else if the existence and development of said facility was going to be a problem.

The Ardilaun hotel wanted to knock a hole in a wall and route traffic through a quiet residential suburb in Salthill. They were stopped in court, and rightly so. Just because a facility exists doesn't give the owners of that facility a free hand to do whatever the hell they like.

BTH wrote: »

it's like choosing to live overlooking the docks then complaining about the noise from their workings or that the Volvo Boat Race is going to disrupt their lives in some way (as I've heard from some people).

A poor comparison, since the docks are vital to the economic and logistic survival of the city and the surrounding area. The sports grounds are not.

BTH wrote: »

planners WILL take into account that Pearse Stadium was the first land use in the area and that residents knew it was there all along.

And once again, thats not a licence to do whatever pops into you head.

BTH wrote: »

People need to get a grip and stop allowing the snobbish GAA-hating element in the locality

What, are you begrudging people the fact that they live in a nice area of the city? How typically Irish...

BTH wrote: »

What the locals should be doing is trying to make sure that when these floodlights go in that they are the most high-tech, perfectly focussed with minimal "spillage" models that are available

What the locals should be doing is pressuring the GAA to sell the premium land in the area taken up by the sports ground, and use the proceeds to build a new state of the art facility elsewhere. With the amount of money that lot is worth, even these days, they could build two new stadiums and new t-shirts for the boys while they were at it.

Sconsey

skelliser wrote: »

liberty hall in dublin is 16storeys at 60metres height. county hall in cork is 17 storeys at 67metres high. 39 metres does not equal 14 storeys.
Average height in a tall building per floor is 11/12 foot, you need to include the floor and ceiling.

I said it already, these floodlights will be equivalent in height to the ones at the sports ground.

Sorry I didn't realise that Cork county hall and the Roches Stores shopping centre were the standards used for measurement. The average heigth of a storey in a building is 3 Metres, the heigth of the masts and lights in the plans is 37 metres....so maybe 13 storeys with a little to spare.

How tall are the lights and masts in the sportsground? have you checked your facts?