Redevelopment of Leisureland

duckygalway

Have always thought the Leisureland site had so much more potential. Nice to see they're finally looking into it. Would be a shame to see the amusement park go but the city needs a decent venue for live events and the location is ideal!

http://www.advertiser.ie/galway/article/21761

Wompa1

It would be nice if they could completely scrap the pool and Gym area and make a big ass arena and maybe build a pool somewhere else

JohnCleary

Wompa1 wrote: »

It would be nice if they could completely scrap the pool and Gym area and make a big ass arena and maybe build a pool somewhere else

Leisureland pool has been there for a LONG time. Why would you knock a perfectly usable pool (not that old) and a new gym, and then go to the expense of building a new one? Dude, your post disappoints! That area of Salthill has always been a family friendly, fun place (ok well not buckets of fun but you know what I mean) between the pool, crazy golf (redone a few years ago at a cost of 100k) and the amusments during the summer.

I admit that the amusments are a dying breed and something could be done with that land.

kippy

Woompa1,
Do you work for the planning department of the city council?
An idea that drastic, expensive and pointless sounds exactly like something that would come from the bowels of the planning dept.

Wompa1

kippy wrote: »

Woompa1,
Do you work for the planning department of the city council?
An idea that drastic, expensive and pointless sounds exactly like something that would come from the bowels of the planning dept.

I don't and I know I said it would be nice...doubt it would happen. In my opinion the pool in Leisureland is pretty outdated. Also I think it's time Galway got a full sized pool anyway. So now would be a good oppurtunity to get a full sized pool, a nice concert arena. The amusement park is a small loss at the moment I feel, I think it's lost its appeal in the last few years. Could move the mini-golf too. If it was planned right. Why not?

kippy

Wompa1 wrote: »

I don't and I know I said it would be nice...doubt it would happen. In my opinion the pool in Leisureland is pretty outdated. Also I think it's time Galway got a full sized pool anyway. So now would be a good oppurtunity to get a full sized pool, a nice concert arena. The amusement park is a small loss at the moment I feel, I think it's lost its appeal in the last few years. Could move the mini-golf too. If it was planned right. Why not?

Why not?
Money. RoI. Actual need.
While certain things can be improved on, knocking a fully functioning building to replace it with a similiar newer one isnt the best of ideas.
The golf is ideal in that location i think, however the amusements may have seen their day.

thesandeman

kippy wrote: »

Why not?
Money. RoI. Actual need.
While certain things can be improved on, knocking a fully functioning building to replace it with a similiar newer one isnt the best of ideas.
The gold is ideal in that location i think, however the amusements may have seen their day.

Theres GOLD there??? Dig the place up immediatly!!

kippy

thesandeman wrote: »

Theres GOLD there??? Dig the place up immediatly!!

There may well be gold there! Cheers.

Xiney

I don't see why the concert venue should be in the leisureland site.

If anything it should be much closer to the new motorway.

kippy

Xiney wrote: »

I don't see why the concert venue should be in the leisureland site.

If anything it should be much closer to the new motorway.

Good point. Salthill is a pain to get in and out of when theres a match in Pearse stadium.

lampsie

The live venue that the Clayton Hotel had up last year was in a pretty decent spot, in terms of location (near the major routes, new motorway, outside the city, potential for good bit of parking if they did a deal with the Dunnes etc).
Only lasted a few months before they took it down tho, and don't think they managed any gigs other than UB40 or something like that..

Sconsey

did someone mention pearse stadium? :cool:

...but seriously, I'd love to see them expand the pool if they are going to redevelop the site, not sure there is sufficient requirement for a 50m pool and would be expensive but I'd say they do have the land available to them at least.

The amusements seem to to stay there for shorter and shorter periods each summer, I often wonder how they can be making any profit at all.

kraggy

Why the hell don't they use the Black Box more often?

Talk about a waste of space, venue, money etc.

citycentre

From reading the article it sounds to me like they are just considering how to better utilize the main hall which is currently very underused. it's unfortunate that they aren't looking at a more comprehensive vision for the whole site.

Personally I think that leisureland in it's current form is an absolute eyesore at a location that deserves so much better. If it were up to me (and money was no object of course...) I'd extend the pool area towards the road edge, creating a proper leisure pool with wave machine, multiple flumes and rapids on the site currently occupied by the crazy golf. Leisureland should be the premier "waterworld" type facility in Ireland, making salthill a year-round tourist destination. The existing pools and structure could be retained, just surrounded by new elements with a more attractive and exciting design.

The hall itself has potential to be developed as a proper mid-size theatre / concert hall with a capacity of about 2000 - similar to the quite decent Theatre Royal in Castlebar which is managing to attract some pretty decent acts. Im not sure if it ever gets used for sporting events these days but the space would still need to be fairly flexible to allow for things like the ideal home shows and other exhibitions that sometimes take place.

The whole site could be better laid out with better designed parking, a more attractive entrance (the current main entrance is very poor) possibly bars and restaurants to compliment the theatre use. I also think the rooftop of any new structure could come into play as a rooftop park- why not relocate the crazy golf up there? Imagine the views!

Salthill is pretty much at rock bottom now, both visually and in terms of facilities and nightlife. A bit of adventurous thinking and planning are exactly what's needed to get it out of the doldrums...

Elevator

it would be great if they renovated the whole place, pool, gym, 4k capacity venue, hope they do it right

what we don't need is another blackbox!! can't book a gig in the place due to inept management who disregard the charter it was built on in the first place (no 1 being that the blackbox was to be made available to anyone who has trouble getting a venue in town)

go Leisureland

Mrs OBumble

Xiney wrote: »

I don't see why the concert venue should be in the leisureland site.

If anything it should be much closer to the new motorway.

... or/and to a public transport hub.

The general idea of Ceannt Station springs to mind.

Anyone who thinks Leisureland is a good site, please read the thread about Pearse Stadium.

Elevator

JustMary wrote: »

... or/and to a public transport hub.

The general idea of Ceannt Station springs to mind.

Anyone who thinks Leisureland is a good site, please read the thread about Pearse Stadium.

link please?

frogwestside

i think the perks purchased that part of land round 30 yrs ago, there def making profit there see how much they charge:eek: and how much the pay the younglads workin there:( i might be wrong but i do think they own bit of land

Elevator

frogwestside wrote: »

i think the perks purchased that part of land round 30 yrs ago, there def making profit there see how much they charge:eek: and how much the pay the younglads workin there:( i might be wrong but i do think they own bit of land

wrong and how do ya make a profit when there are nobody goin on any of the rides, ya never see anyone out there anymore, was at least back in 2000/2001 since that place was last kicking

frogwestside

Elevator wrote: »

wrong and how do ya make a profit when there are nobody goin on any of the rides, ya never see anyone out there anymore, was at least back in 2000/2001 since that place was last kicking

i worked there i think i should know, you think they would come back 8 yrs in row losing money , cop on

gaeilgegrinds1

Interesting concept, heard this elsewhere too...

JohnCleary

I used to work in the amusements too, good times and great for keeping fit when younger... serious manual labour for sh1tty pay, but the fun (and the women) were worth it!

I'm gonna stop the rumors right now though... Perks have a long lease on the land, they don't own it. They come back ever summer, well, because they have a lease on it and they don't have any other summer gigs.

Sorry to ruin the mystery :pac:

solid oak

perks are part of the tradition in salthill, a bit like the diving baords in salthill !!