Galway Airport - mega merge

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

Who said anything about world class? Modern != world class.

What are you looking for exactly, that isnt provided for here:
http://coaching.connacht.gaa.ie/home/club-location
http://www.sports.nuigalway.ie/
http://itsligo.ie/campus-life/sports-recreation/

As well as the explosion in swimming pools, outdoor high quality multipurpose flood lit Astro pitches in Galway and indeed connact in general in the past decade, I really dont see why anyone can complain that there isnt enough there.
If they do complain and they take sport more seriously, do what the other serious sports people do, commit to and and move closer to whatever facilities you feel benefit you most. Dont expext the state to provide facilities on your door step to the detriment of others.


Id also add you dont need a 115 acre site for the vast majority of any of the above.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

What are you looking for exactly, that isnt provided for here:
http://coaching.connacht.gaa.ie/home/club-location
http://www.sports.nuigalway.ie/
http://itsligo.ie/campus-life/sports-recreation/

As well as the explosion in swimming pools, outdoor high quality multipurpose flood lit Astro pitches in Galway and indeed connact in general in the past decade, I really dont see why anyone can complain that there isnt enough there.

All privately owned and expensive to use if you aren't a member of the organisation. Are connacht rugby really going to invite athletes in if they aren't going to get some benefit from it? A bit of realism please.

kippy wrote: »

If they do complain and they take sport more seriously, do what the other serious sports people do, commit to and and move closer to whatever facilities you feel benefit you most. Dont expext the state to provide facilities on your door step to the detriment of others.

To the detriment? I though we were having a serious conversation here, sporting activity is one of the biggest drivers of the economy. This is not a zero sum game, it's not as if building a sports facility will take away from the provision of education or healthcare. As for telling people to move, that's the best of NIMBYism and begrudgery rolled into one terrible attitude.

kippy wrote: »

Id also add you dont need a 115 acre site for the vast majority of any of the above.

Who said it all has to be used for sport? The site of the stadium in Salthill is about 10 acres. Even if they only took 30 acres for a sporting facility they'd get a multi purpose floodlit pitch, a track and field ground, pool and facilities & parking with space left over. And still 85 odd acres to use for other uses. Maybe we can keep up the tradition and put a graveyard in the corner nearest the sports facilities.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

All privately owned and expensive to use if you aren't a member of the organisation. Are connacht rugby really going to invite athletes in if they aren't going to get some benefit from it? A bit of realism please.



To the detriment? I though we were having a serious conversation here, sporting activity is one of the biggest drivers of the economy. This is not a zero sum game, it's not as if building a sports facility will take away from the provision of education or healthcare. As for telling people to move, that's the best of NIMBYism and begrudgery rolled into one terrible attitude.



Who said it all has to be used for sport? The site of the stadium in Salthill is about 10 acres. Even if they only took 30 acres for a sporting facility they'd get a multi purpose floodlit pitch, a track and field ground, pool and facilities & parking with space left over. And still 85 odd acres to use for other uses. Maybe we can keep up the tradition and put a graveyard in the corner nearest the sports facilities.

Theres not many sports facilities that:
1. Dont have a vested interest.
2. Charge - either directly or indirectly.

I'd also note that it doesnt appear you read the link. It's actually a GAA facility. GAA clubs, soccer clubs, rugby clubs, athletic, running, swimming etc clubs are all over the place and get plenty money as is. In fairness it is used well and I've no issues with spending money on sport - not however on wasting money on ill conceived ideas.


The big issue here, is people expecting the world to conform to their own needs. There are plenty sports facilities and activities available within a stones throw of most people in this country, yeah, not everyone is within an hour or ninety minutes of somewhere like UL, or Dublin but the vast majority of the population is.
If you chose to live away from a major urban area you are going to have to make sacrifices to access the same services that those in urban areas can access far faster.
That's just life.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

I'd also note that it doesnt appear you read the link. It's actually a GAA facility

I was referring to the center that Connacht Rugby have built in the sportsground for their players, but you've illustrated my point perfectly in that they all have vested interests - Castlegar, Liam Mellowes, St James, St Michaels, Mervue Utd, East Utd, Corthinthains & Galweigans have facilities for their own use, but not the public. Which is great if you're a member of one of those, not great if you're not and have no wish to be.

But I'm talking about something different.

kippy wrote: »

The big issue here, is people expecting the world to conform to their own needs.
If you chose to live away from a major urban area you are going to have to make sacrifices to access the same services that those in urban areas can access far faster.
That's just life.

No, it's about providing facilities where they are needed, rather than having certain vested interests dictating that people move away from where they were born in order to suit their own ideology.

Iwannahurl

antoobrien wrote: »

Considering the track record of the decisions made by our elected representatives the lack of consultation with them can only be a good thing. Oh and the irony of Cllr Connolloy's stating that this might be a good decision can not be underestimated as her decision making has cost the council about€130k in legal fees this year.

OK, so if Catherine Connolly thinks buying the airport may be a good idea, it could actually be a bad idea?

This topic was discussed briefly on Sean O Rourke's Radio 1 programme this morning. It was odd to hear them talking about a €1.1 million purchase of a "brownfield site" using public money, with none of them having any idea what the land is to be used for.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

I was referring to the center that Connacht Rugby have built in the sportsground for their players, but you've illustrated my point perfectly in that they all have vested interests - Castlegar, Liam Mellowes, St James, St Michaels, Mervue Utd, East Utd, Corthinthains & Galweigans have facilities for their own use, but not the public. Which is great if you're a member of one of those, not great if you're not and have no wish to be.

But I'm talking about something different.




No, it's about providing facilities where they are needed, rather than having certain vested interests dictating that people move away from where they were born in order to suit their own ideology.

I'm going to step back a second here and as.
1. What sporting facility doesnt have a "vested" interest in one thing or another?
2. What exactly do you want to see built - specificis please and how exactly is it to be used?
3. Why build it at the Galway Airport site? Why not build it in Sligo, where there is probably a higher catchment area?

I've already said there are "facilities" all over the place, some better than others, they are generally "needed" in higher population areas where they will be used.

I was born in a remote a place as anyone else one here, but even I realise that there are many things that are simply not feasible within an hour of my home place. That's why I moved away.

In essence, the airport still is a functioning "airport". Let it be used as such for the smaller flying clubs, helicopters, private flights, emergencies etc, rather than spend all the money spent on making it into an airport into something else that most likely is nowhere near required.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

I'm going to step back a second here and as.
1. What sporting facility doesnt have a "vested" interest in one thing or another?

None, but the sporting facilities in Galway have an extremely tightly scoped vested interest, as I have pointed out in my examples. We need something that is less restrictive if we are to be serious about producing more Paul Hessions & Olive Loughnanes.

kippy wrote: »

2. What exactly do you want to see built - specificis please and how exactly is it to be used?

We'll call it a sports campus with multiple functions:
Something along the lines of the Morton stadium in Santry - track & field & associated facilities. Not sure about indoor track, maybe as part of a multi story complex.

Something along the lines of the NAC in Blanchardstown - 50m pool that can be split into two 20m-25m pools for recreation. Also a (small) 5m deep pool for diving (high and also scuba training). There's an water park/aquatic center in tralee/killarney (can't remember which), so there's no reason why it couldn't work.

A floodlit pitch that could host soccer/rughby/gaa. There is a need for a floodlit pitch in Galway for GAA purposes. Also could you imagine the crowd we'd get to the connacht v Tolouse match if a bigger ground was available? Such a ground can't be under the control of the GAA.

One of the above should also double as a concert venue (we have no mid size venue worth speaking of) - or perhaps build it onto/beside the sports facility and share parking facilities.

kippy wrote: »

3. Why build it at the Galway Airport site? Why not build it in Sligo, where there is probably a higher catchment area?

Galway would have a bigger catchment area: Co Galway, South May, Parts of Roscommon, Westmeath.....

Access is the big one. Two motorways & two train lines nearby. Galway is also a bigger destination than say Sligo, Castlebar or Roscommon so more people would be likely "make a weekend" out of a trip to an event.

kippy wrote: »

I've already said there are "facilities" all over the place, some better than others, they are generally "needed" in higher population areas where they will be used.

I was born in a remote a place as anyone else one here, but even I realise that there are many things that are simply not feasible within an hour of my home place. That's why I moved away.

The fact that your area was neglected and you felt that you had to move is the unreasonable bit here.

kippy wrote: »

In essence, the airport still is a functioning "airport". Let it be used as such for the smaller flying clubs, helicopters, private flights, emergencies etc, rather than spend all the money spent on making it into an airport into something else that most likely is nowhere near required.

Nope, aviation license gone means no aviation activity.

snubbleste

Eh, there is no Galway Airport.
So what is this thread about?

john.han

Have to say I'm completely baffled and frustrated that the councils were willing to spend €1.1m on a failed company. Whatever about the market value of agricultural land, the market value of the site could only be determined by placing it on the open market and seeing what it sold for without interference from a state body (unless they had a clear plan for the site that would have a public benefit).

The suggestion for a stadium was complete nonsense, there already is one 30k capacity stadium in the city and two smaller but perfectly functional stadiums that meet the needs of their occupants. I'd agree facilities for track and field sports are very poor in Galway, but the reality is a multi-million euro sports complex isn't a justifiable investment considering the facilities available elsewhere in the country.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

None, but the sporting facilities in Galway have an extremely tightly scoped vested interest, as I have pointed out in my examples. We need something that is less restrictive if we are to be serious about producing more Paul Hessions & Olive Loughnanes.



We'll call it a sports campus with multiple functions:
Something along the lines of the Morton stadium in Santry - track & field & associated facilities. Not sure about indoor track, maybe as part of a multi story complex.

Something along the lines of the NAC in Blanchardstown - 50m pool that can be split into two 20m-25m pools for recreation. Also a (small) 5m deep pool for diving (high and also scuba training). There's an water park/aquatic center in tralee/killarney (can't remember which), so there's no reason why it couldn't work.

A floodlit pitch that could host soccer/rughby/gaa. There is a need for a floodlit pitch in Galway for GAA purposes. Also could you imagine the crowd we'd get to the connacht v Tolouse match if a bigger ground was available? Such a ground can't be under the control of the GAA.

One of the above should also double as a concert venue (we have no mid size venue worth speaking of) - or perhaps build it onto/beside the sports facility and share parking facilities.




Galway would have a bigger catchment area: Co Galway, South May, Parts of Roscommon, Westmeath.....

Access is the big one. Two motorways & two train lines nearby. Galway is also a bigger destination than say Sligo, Castlebar or Roscommon so more people would be likely "make a weekend" out of a trip to an event.



The fact that your area was neglected and you felt that you had to move is the unreasonable bit here.



Nope, aviation license gone means no aviation activity.

I had to move to get the quality of life that I wanted. I didnt expect the state to provide it for me.......
Lots of people stayed where they were, they didnt want to work in a field where there are no jobs near home, they didnt mind travelling two hours to a hospital, major town etc.....


Everything else you say would be ideal in a world where such a loss making venture could be supported.

Anyway, this has gone OT enough.

Can another body apply for an aviation license again or lease the airport of the council?
I assume that this can be done.

I've no idea what other feasible function this area can serve. There are green field sites not a stones throw away that over all would probably be a better use than the coversion of the airport into something else.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

Can another body apply for an aviation license again or lease the airport of the council?
I assume that this can be done.

Sure, but why would the councils hand back the license in that case? They could have invited companies to tender for the running of it if they wanted.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

Sure, but why would the councils hand back the license in that case? They could have invited companies to tender for the running of it if they wanted.

I've no idea of the legal implications of hanging onto the license or what that forces the council to do.
There's a strong likelihood the council etc haven't thought that far ahead and easiest thing to do for them would be hand back the license until someone comes up with an idea.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

Everything else you say would be ideal in a world where such a loss making venture could be supported.

No evidence that it would be loss making, especially with so many examples of facilities that aren't.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

No evidence that it would be loss making, especially with so many examples of facilities that aren't.

I thought you didnt want the facility to have a vested interest - ie it would be free to use.....

Lots of em lose money and have to be supported one way or another - as an example.
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/2.790/former-operator-of-national-aquatic-centre-claims-30m-in-losses-and-damages-1.1432239

Unless they have some "vested interest" - ie at a centre where there are lots and lots of people already (such as a university) or at a "club" of some description, I cant see how it would make money and would shut in a few years.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

I thought you didnt want the facility to have a vested interest - ie it would be free to use.....

Lots of em lose money and have to be supported one way or another - as an example.
http://www.irishtimes.com/business/2.790/former-operator-of-national-aquatic-centre-claims-30m-in-losses-and-damages-1.1432239

Unless they have some "vested interest" - ie at a centre where there are lots and lots of people already (such as a university) or at a "club" of some description, I cant see how it would make money and would shut in a few years.

It's not hurting the Aquadome, which is making profits during the downturn.

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/temp/as-profits-drop-aquadome-calls-for-greater-effort-to-promote-tralee-27400814.html

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

It's not hurting the Aquadome, which is making profits during the downturn.

http://www.independent.ie/regionals/kerryman/temp/as-profits-drop-aquadome-calls-for-greater-effort-to-promote-tralee-27400814.html

The aquadome? I thought we were taking sports facilites, the aquadome is primarly a tourist centric venture akin to Bundoran is it not?
Leisure land would be close to it but it has a standard pool as well.

EDIT: My last post on this particular tangent.
Sporting area - not going to happen and rightly so.

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

The aquadome? I thought we were taking sports facilites, the aquadome is primarly a tourist centric venture akin to Bundoran is it not?
Leisure land would be close to it but it has a standard pool as well.

It needs both.

mackjark

There won't be a stadium: Period! The Aviva cost over €400m with twice the capacity so let's say it'll cost €200m. Where is that money going to come from. It's a nonsense idea, kite flying from a politician.

Again I say it, the most likely use is an airfield. It wouldn't take much to get a private licence which would allow the current residents to get on with it.

I'm not sure why people can't seem to grasp this? It has failed as a Commercial airport sure but look at Sligo Airport. No commercial service there either and it's situated in a smaller town. Yet there's no talk of closure. Sure the rescue helicopter is based there but that can't keep the whole place open.

It wouldn't cost money either. In fact it might actually generate income and run cost free to the owners.

Incidentally neither the Flying club or the Skydive company have been told they have to go. In fact as far as I know they have not been contacted by the new owners at all. Despite what the papers say.

antoobrien

mackjark wrote: »

There won't be a stadium: Period! The Aviva cost over €400m with twice the capacity so let's say it'll cost €200m.

Why would you look at an unrealistic option like that, which had to be engineered over a rail line in the most expensive part of the country to do anything?

Why not look at Thomond Park, redeveloped for €40m and generates 30,000 hotel and B&B stays for matches and is now also used by the Limerick FC soccer team.

kippy

antoobrien wrote: »

Why would you look at an unrealistic option like that, which had to be engineered over a rail line in the most expensive part of the country to do anything?

Why not look at Thomond Park, redeveloped for €40m and generates 30,000 hotel and B&B stays for matches and is now also used by the Limerick FC soccer team.

Why not look at Terryland park?

antoobrien

kippy wrote: »

Why not look at Terryland park?

It has same limitations as the stadium regarding access, parking & ownership and has too low capacity for anything useful.

Robbo

antoobrien wrote: »

Why not look at Thomond Park, redeveloped for €40m and generates 30,000 hotel and B&B stays for matches and is now also used by the Limerick FC soccer team.

You might have picked a better option than a stadium where the loans haven't been paid in 3 years, attendances are on the wane and the ancillary businesses have been through restructuring.

Castlebar12

antoobrien wrote: »

None, but the sporting facilities in Galway have an extremely tightly scoped vested interest, as I have pointed out in my examples. We need something that is less restrictive if we are to be serious about producing more Paul Hessions & Olive Loughnanes.



We'll call it a sports campus with multiple functions:
Something along the lines of the Morton stadium in Santry - track & field & associated facilities. Not sure about indoor track, maybe as part of a multi story complex.

Something along the lines of the NAC in Blanchardstown - 50m pool that can be split into two 20m-25m pools for recreation. Also a (small) 5m deep pool for diving (high and also scuba training). There's an water park/aquatic center in tralee/killarney (can't remember which), so there's no reason why it couldn't work.

A floodlit pitch that could host soccer/rughby/gaa. There is a need for a floodlit pitch in Galway for GAA purposes. Also could you imagine the crowd we'd get to the connacht v Tolouse match if a bigger ground was available? Such a ground can't be under the control of the GAA.

One of the above should also double as a concert venue (we have no mid size venue worth speaking of) - or perhaps build it onto/beside the sports facility and share parking facilities.




Galway would have a bigger catchment area: Co Galway, South May, Parts of Roscommon, Westmeath.....

Access is the big one. Two motorways & two train lines nearby. Galway is also a bigger destination than say Sligo, Castlebar or Roscommon so more people would be likely "make a weekend" out of a trip to an event.



The fact that your area was neglected and you felt that you had to move is the unreasonable bit here.



Nope, aviation license gone means no aviation activity.

What about the large national outdoor pursuits academy being built in Castlebar. 3 pitches, tartan running track, new pool, some special treatment pool, climbing walls, a pontoon on the lake and 2 covered tennis courts just to name a few. All to be open to the public.
Also as I am obviously from Castlebar whenever I need to use a facility I would always go to Galway and if not there then Dublin. Never to Sligo. Although my trips have become less frequent as Castlebar pretty much has all Galway has at this stage. :cool:

Storm 10

Galway City and County Councils hang your heads in shame


EINN-A1615/13
A) EICM GALWAY CARNMORE
2013 NOV 08 17:00 C) PERM
E) AERODROME IS CLOSED EXCEPT FOR BASED CLUB AIRCRAFT

EINN-B0315/13
A) EICM GALWAY CARNMORE
2013 NOV 08 17:09 C) PERM
E) GALWAY NDB CRN FREQ 321 KHZ OUT OF SERVICE

EINN-B0316/13
A) EICM GALWAY CARNMORE
2013 NOV 08 17:11 C) PERM
E) ILS GP RWY 26 OUT OF SERVICE

EINN-B0317/13
A) EICM GALWAY CARNMORE
2013 NOV 08 17:12 C) PERM
E) CARNMORE DME CRN CH37X FREQ 110.0MHZ OUT OF SERVICE

EINN-B0319/13
A) EICM GALWAY CARNMORE
2013 NOV 08 17:22 C) PERM
E) ILS LOCALIZER RWY 26 OUT OF SERVICE

KevR

This talk about a new stadium - I would be strongly against moving Galway GAA from Pearse Stadium to a new out of town stadium.

West Galway City is the most densely populated area of County Galway. There are thousands of people within walking distance of Pearse Stadium. There are pubs, restaurants, shops and hotels in the Salthill area. I think Carnmore would be a terrible move for the GAA. It's not like Pearse Stadium is sold out every game so a capacity increase is not necessary.

There might be more of a case for Connacht Rugby to move to a bigger arena (which could also be used for other sports). I still wouldn't be sold on Carnmore..

The problem with out of town stadia is that almost everyone has to drive to get there. Just look at the Galway Races. There is an existing bus service to Parkmore and they put on special buses direct to the race course. And yet there is traffic chaos. There is nothing else to do in Ballybrit before/after a race meeting on a given day. Carnmore would be even more desolate than Ballybrit.

Storm 10

Guys will ye get real no one is going to build a stadium end of

Iwannahurl

Storm 10 wrote: »

Guys will ye get real no one is going to build a stadium end of

From a report in today's City Tribune, quoting 'a source close to the deal': "That [building a multi-purpose stadium on the site] is so far off from reality it's laughable."

ballbag14

Has Eddie stobart bought old building across from airport??

FlashD

There won't be any stadium in this location not now, not ever!

It's a cynical PR stunt by Liam Carroll to let everyone know who he is, one eye on the 2014 local county elections I would bet.

Paddyfield

Castlebar12 wrote: »

Castlebar pretty much has all Galway has at this stage. :cool:

I must go there again soon. Last time I was in Castlebar in 2009, there wasn't much to it.