€300M Investment into Waterford City

Dunmoreroader

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I was thinking where is cat land, then the penny dropped.

The proposed road into Maypark will be a disaster should be come to fruition. Imagine the trucks thundering into the old Ardkeen roundabout and then crawling along the old section of the ring road during peak hours traffic?

Maybe a ban on HGV's using it? Otherwise you're looking at a crossing at the island or even knockboy.

fricatus

What worries me about this whole thing is that €50m of infrastructural investment is needed from the government, and this government has to be the worst shower in a long time for kicking Waterford in the head.

FF under Bertie and Cowen may have driven the economy over a cliff, but at least we got some proper roads investment in Waterford, plus some other scraps... maybe I'm being overly paranoid, but it would not surprise me in the least if those fcukers held back the money and let this thing fall through.

Wanderer78

fricatus wrote:

FF under Bertie and Cowen may have driven the economy over a cliff, but at least we got some proper roads investment in Waterford, plus some other scraps... maybe I'm being overly paranoid, but it would not surprise me in the least if those fcukers held back the money and let this thing fall through.

My gut is telling me that this is probably what's gonna happen, I truly will be surprised if this gets the go ahead, but then again, a roof over the Apple market seemed impossible when first mentioned, so who knows

BBM77

fricatus wrote: »

What worries me about this whole thing is that €50m of infrastructural investment is needed from the government, and this government has to be the worst shower in a long time for kicking Waterford in the head.

FF under Bertie and Cowen may have driven the economy over a cliff, but at least we got some proper roads investment in Waterford, plus some other scraps... maybe I'm being overly paranoid, but it would not surprise me in the least if those fcukers held back the money and let this thing fall through.

This is my biggest worry to. But surly the Saudi's would have sounded the government out on this first and got the answers they wanted before they got to this stage.

Max Powers

Doh

Max Powers

There are some positives here, understandably depending on govt to make sensible decision is never ideal but 30m was already in national development govt plan for north quays, now that was back in coffeys time but still.also, the fact that it is a SDZ helps massively as these areas are to be prioritised for infrastructure.thirdly, an idiot if given the opportunity to get 300 investment would/should stump up 50, its not massive money.also, we/council aren't asking for money for an event centre or a fancy publicly funded cinema, we are asking for money for infrastructure;, pedestrian bridge, moving train station to better location, probably changes to roads, footpaths, etc.

Dunmoreroader

Yes, sucessive Irish government's(FF/FG/Lab etc.) have been very proactive in developing Waterford......:(
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=608616

Johnboy1951

Dunmoreroader wrote: »

Yes, sucessive Irish government's(FF/FG/Lab etc.) have been very proactive in developing Waterford......:(
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?p=608616

Yes ........ a 2002 post reckoning it would take 20 years to develop after plans were published ......

http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=609271&postcount=4


It gets my vote as best prediction for ..... however long!

mike65 wrote:

At last! Now they've chosen a company to design the thing it'll only take 20 years to complete....Its been an age since the plans were first announced and I was starting to view the North Quay development like the 2nd river crossing. Promises, promises!

The whole thing is meant to be about a Km long, and it'll certainly bring much needed life the Ferrybank. I like the
east bridge idea but won't it have to lift?

Mike.

PremierDeise

I think there was originally a plan called Project 2014 which included the pedestrian bridge

PTH2009

I'd love if we done a principality stadium Cardiff type thing and build a 20000 seater stadium on the new quay development

The Wit campus ij Carrignore is build already and no point in knockong it and rebuilding

Got too love the Waterford county board

Harry Palmr

When the WIT Carriganore site was being mooted the future of Walsh Park should have been part of the planning but that would have require something like a measure of wit and foresight wouldn't it? There is plenty of land to build a new stadium but there would be some logistical issues regarding parking etc (unless they are happy to lose 3 playing pitches in total), esp as the Greenway carpark would be at it's fullest when the big games are played.

Deiseen

Harry Palmr wrote: »

When the WIT Carriganore site was being mooted the future of Walsh Park should have been part of the planning but that would have require something like a measure of wit and foresight wouldn't it? There is plenty of land to build a new stadium but there would be some logistical issues regarding parking etc (unless they are happy to lose 3 playing pitches in total), esp as the Greenway carpark would be at it's fullest when the big games are played.

AFAIK there is land set aside for the stadium up in WIT.

Deiseen

Harry Palmr wrote: »

When the WIT Carriganore site was being mooted the future of Walsh Park should have been part of the planning but that would have require something like a measure of wit and foresight wouldn't it? There is plenty of land to build a new stadium but there would be some logistical issues regarding parking etc (unless they are happy to lose 3 playing pitches in total), esp as the Greenway carpark would be at it's fullest when the big games are played.

Also, I think Carrignore is the wrong place for it. The only positive factor is that they have the space for it. It's 5.5km out of the city and we will get none of the added benefits of a stadium if it's not closer to town.
Imagine having 20,000+ people arriving into the town for a Munster Semi final with a large portion of them drinking in the bars and having some food, you can't put a price on that activity. If we could get that once or twice a year then the amount of money coming into the city would be absurd. 
If it's out in Carrignore then people will drive their cars there, park, go to the game and the go off home. Where is the benefit in that?
There is plenty of room on the goal ends at Walsh Park for expansion, admittedly nothing on the terrace opposite the stand  but surely with a bit of readjusting they could create more space on the side with the stand? Could they make Slievekeale road one way which would allow more room for a stand or possibly even do away with that part of the road altogether and allow access for the business there through Keanes road? Might cause havoc with traffic but it's something that should be considered.

Harry Palmr

I agree in principle - stadiums should be where the people are really even though it does create it's own problems - ask the locals! As for space in the current footprint - the space around the pitch on three sides is actually tight esp when you factor in the required safety margins (the standing areas narrow towards the furthest corner) - the pathways need to be a certain width for example. Anything built now would have to pass the health and safety tests. If if it were possible to made the site a regular shape the locals would hold out (and rightly) against losing land at the bottom of their gardens.

Deiseen

Harry Palmr wrote: »

I agree in principle - stadiums should be where the people are really even though it does create it's own problems - ask the locals!  As for space in the current footprint - the space around the pitch on three sides is actually tight esp when you factor in the required safety margins (the standing areas narrow towards the furthest corner) - the pathways need to be a certain width for example. Anything built now would have to pass the health and safety tests. If if it were possible to made the site a regular shape the locals would hold out (and rightly) against losing land at the bottom of their gardens.

Work can be done on the three other sides to make something of reasonable quality. Who knows, why don't they even put feelers out to see if the locals would be willing to give up some of their gardens for a cost.
In relation to the stand, they could easily make it a two tiered stand to squeeze in a few extra bums. To me, moving it out of the city is not an option.
Apparently the capacity of the stadium is 17,000 so with a bit of work you could easily bump it above 20,000.

blue note

The north quays would be a good location for this.

Harry Palmr

Deiseen wrote: »

Work can be done on the three other sides to make something of reasonable quality. Who knows, why don't they even put feelers out to see if the locals would be willing to give up some of their gardens for a cost.
In relation to the stand, they could easily make it a two tiered stand to squeeze in a few extra bums. To me, moving it out of the city is not an option.
Apparently the capacity of the stadium is 17,000 so with a bit of work you could easily bump it above 20,000.

Two tiers is easy to say but harder to build within the same area - each tier adds 80-100% to the depth of a stadium stand basically as more people in it have to be able to get in and out safely.

PTH2009

blue note wrote: »

The north quays would be a good location for this.

yeah would be perfect and really add to the landscape, it has worked for Cardiff. I was in Glasgow last year and the SSE Hydro arena is build on a similar development ad has perfect access

Would rebuilding the RSC and making into a multi sports stadium work ???

TheQuietFella

Deiseen wrote: »

Work can be done on the three other sides to make something of reasonable quality. Who knows, why don't they even put feelers out to see if the locals would be willing to give up some of their gardens for a cost.
In relation to the stand, they could easily make it a two tiered stand to squeeze in a few extra bums. To me, moving it out of the city is not an option.
Apparently the capacity of the stadium is 17,000 so with a bit of work you could easily bump it above 20,000.

Where though are 17,000/20,000 people going to park?

The_Shotz

The same place 50k people Park in Thurles or 80k in Croke Park, away from the ground. Plenty fields for parking on the old kilmeaden Road, WIT, industrial estate, Mount Sion Gaa, RSC. Plenty parking.

As for redeveloping the RSC to multi purpose, not possible to have a running track around a GAA field.

Deiseen

The_Shotz wrote: »

The same place 50k people Park in Thurles or 80k in Croke Park, away from the ground. Plenty fields for parking on the old kilmeaden Road, WIT, industrial estate, Mount Sion Gaa, RSC. Plenty parking.

As for redeveloping the RSC to multi purpose, not possible to have a running track around a GAA field.

I'm sure there are ingenious ways to manage this

Harry Palmr

blue note wrote: »

The north quays would be a good location for this.

Hate to poo-poo this idea as well (!) but the dimensions of a GAA pitch (80 x 130m minimum) mean it's too wide to fit on the North Quay - once the stands and infrastructure was added it would be far far too small. That said if the stadium was in a North-South configuration and the Bus Eireann yard was purchased along with the Abbey Road units (S&P Heat etc) and the abandoned site just south of it then it could be done but who is going to fund it?

Oh yes imagine getting in and out of the site onto the dual carriageway, that proposed footbridge would certainly come into its own. Plus it would nearly be in Kilkenny - oh the tease!

TheQuietFella

The_Shotz wrote: »

The same place 50k people Park in Thurles or 80k in Croke Park, away from the ground. Plenty fields for parking on the old kilmeaden Road, WIT, industrial estate, Mount Sion Gaa, RSC. Plenty parking.

As for redeveloping the RSC to multi purpose, not possible to have a running track around a GAA field.

Pitch wouldn't be big enough anyway!

And Thurles is so easy to get out of!

Not trying to rain on your parade but in my opinion none of the places you suggested are viable options for parking en masse!
Not with the volumes of traffic that you are suggesting but then again, the concept of decent parking never
really entered in to the Irish psyche!

The_Shotz

TheQuietFella wrote: »

Pitch wouldn't be big enough anyway!

And Thurles is so easy to get out of!

Not trying to rain on your parade but in my opinion none of the places you suggested are viable options for parking en masse!
Not with the volumes of traffic that you are suggesting but then again, the concept of decent parking never
really entered in to the Irish psyche!

That's my point no ground in the country has a parking solution, Cork, limerick, Tipperary, Kilkenny, Wexford, Dublin they all have the same issues as well as traffic issues after a game.

Ireland doesn't have the infrastructure or roads to deal with large crowds at the one time.

OK my options for parking might not be suitable but what other county have suitable parking. Waterford would have to mange the same as every other county. Park a distance away in fields, available car parks and walk, and hopefully by the time you get back to the car you might get a clear Road out.

Nowlan Park I often Park out on the ring road, Thurles before the anner hotel, Cork by the boat club, limerick by the travel lodge, Croke Park O Connell school, thats just to name a few.

If Waterford had 20k attendances, a nice big filed by West pharma, walk back and hopefully quick access out to the N25 it's do-able

taytobreath

is it true that the listed building on the north quay has become unlisted and is due to be knocked.

Aquos76

taytobreath wrote: »

is it true that the listed building on the north quay has become unlisted and is due to be knocked.

As it turns out, it was never actually a listed building, it was only been kept in the hope it could be incorporated into some new development, but it doesn't fit it to what's planned so it will be taken down soon.

taytobreath

Aquos76 wrote: »

As it turns out, it was never actually a listed building, it was only been kept in the hope it could be incorporated into some new development, but it doesn't fit it to what's planned so it will be taken down soon.

haha ok. thats good news

MRnotlob606

Bomb it, blow it up, bulldoze it, set it on fire. We don't need it, it serves no practical use cannot to be transformed into something else. It will just be there idle and in need of restoration.

IspeakcozIcan

Really don't think it should be bulldozed. It's an imposing 1905 Hennebique-designed structure (one of only two in Ireland, I think?). A bit of imagination and it could be transformed into something impressive.

Disappointed in this decision.

Max Powers

IspeakcozIcan wrote: »

Really don't think it should be bulldozed. It's an imposing 1905 Hennebique-designed structure (one of only two in Ireland, I think?). A bit of imagination and it could be transformed into something impressive.

Disappointed in this decision.

Apparently a lot of the floors on it are about 5' high, so virtually impossible to have them suitable for access.(don't quote me on the 5'but something small, was in the paper.)
I'd imagine since it is reinforced concrete, changing the floor heights would be incredibly awkward structurally.I agree with your sentiment but in this case it just seems beyond practical to keep it.