RSC New 2000 seater stand gets go ahead [Archive]

The Man Himself

03/04/2007, 9:25 PM

adamcarr

03/04/2007, 10:02 PM

Great news! It won't be such a kip of a stadium anymore.

SPXcyan

03/04/2007, 10:27 PM

thats true! I wonder if we will be gettin a plastic pitch! heard we are supposed to be gettin one in! would be great if we did.. that pitch is just plane awefull! but hearin bout the new stand is welllll welcomed! its about feckin time too!

Peadar

04/04/2007, 7:52 AM

Waterford could build a whole ground for €3m
Something is very suspect here.
You'll spend all that money and only have a stand? There's got to be more to this story???

Bluebeard

04/04/2007, 8:11 AM

Waterford could build a whole ground for �3m
Something is very suspect here.
You'll spend all that money and only have a stand? There's got to be more to this story???

Classic case of Local Politics, Peadar. We could have had a second stand built about a year ago, plans were laid down and there was preparatory work done, I heard that could have been done for something between �250K and �400K. But all of a sudden nothing - fell out of the club's control.

I suspect two unspoken causes:

1. Corporation land - WUFC don't own the ground, therefore ultimately no say - and the club had not been looking to "accepted contractors", if you catch my drift.
2. No election last year. I'm reckoning that by election time, it will be three quarters built, and everyone will mention it as "their personal mission" coming to fruition - it appears to be a much closer election than usual and the usual suspects are so uncertain that they are even looking to get votes from Waterford United supporters (hasn't been done on a grand scale in years). Then, after elections, it will remain three quarters built for the rest of the season, as Corpo money is channelled into the greyhounds and horses or something else.

Not that I feel cynical about things.

Peadar

04/04/2007, 8:20 AM

Sorry for getting annoyed about this but you'd never see it happen in any other sport. I hope they actually make good on their promises and glad Waterford United aren't footing the bill.

bigmac

04/04/2007, 9:19 AM

Waterford could build a whole ground for �3m
Something is very suspect here.
You'll spend all that money and only have a stand? There's got to be more to this story???

Not sure about the plans, but given the layout of the present stand, I'd imagine that the new one will also be all bells and whistles in terms of facilities within it.

For anyone who hasn't been inside the RSC, I competed in track & field competitions there regularly and the changing rooms etc are top notch. I reckon that the bare stand structure could be built for a fraction of the cost though.

dcfcsteve

04/04/2007, 9:39 AM

What ever happened to Kilcahoan Park, out of curiousity ?

passinginterest

04/04/2007, 9:43 AM

The money being thrown at the ground may have some relation to the 2012 Olympics too. The government has lots of ambitions to attract teams to train here before the games in London. If the RSC is developed into a top class facility then Waterford could look to attract one of the bigger nations for training purposes.

That may be complete fantasy though. And how an olympic team training there would affect Waterford Utd I dunno.

Paraic

04/04/2007, 9:48 AM

Cost seems a bit high alright but sports capital grants require 20% to 30% of total costs to be generated locally, so the stated cost of �3m may be tied to that.

We built our 1600 seater for �1m in 00/01 and constructoin inflation isn't so high that it should cost �3m but then I'm not an expect on construction economics in the South East, nor do I know the spec for the new stadium.

It would be interesting to know the cost of Athlone's new stand/facilities to compare.

Anyways, well done, best of luck with the project.

Ceirtlis

04/04/2007, 10:02 AM

What ever happened to Kilcahoan Park, out of curiousity ?

I work out there, its a greyhound stadium. It doesnt look like it would be any use for soccer in this day and age which is a pity because the RSC is **** imo.

stann

04/04/2007, 10:04 AM

Waterford could build a whole ground for €3m
Something is very suspect here.
You'll spend all that money and only have a stand? There's got to be more to this story???

All the seats will be Parker-Knoll recliners.

dcfcsteve

04/04/2007, 10:05 AM

I work out there, its a greyhound stadium. It doesnt look like it would be any use for soccer in this day and age which is a pity because the RSC is **** imo.

Feck - the greyhounds are taking over......! :eek:

That's what i was thinking meself. I've never been there, but the RSC strikes me as a bert place for football. Kilcahoan was a nice wee ground - always liked it. As the likes of Bohs, Drogs and Athlone can attest (and as Derry know painfully) it's always best to own your own ground.

When did you leave Kilcahoan ?

bigmac

04/04/2007, 10:13 AM

Feck - the greyhounds are taking over......! :eek:

That's what i was thinking meself. I've never been there, but the RSC strikes me as a bert place for football. Kilcahoan was a nice wee ground - always liked it. As the likes of Bohs, Drogs and Athlone can attest (and as Derry know painfully) it's always best to own your own ground.

When did you leave Kilcahoan ?

To be honest, the nostalgia for Kilcohan strikes me as a bit strange. I think most of it is founded on the fact that Waterford played there during the glory days rather than any other reason. As far as I remember going there, you were even further away from the pitch than you are now in the RSC!

Risteard

04/04/2007, 10:19 AM

Sounds like WCC are doing terrible business. 3million for a stand?
Is it going to be inside / outside / on the running track?
Is the track used?
The RSC is a kip and ye'll never be able to attract / retain decent players there.

Conversely, if it stays as it is, it'll still have that depressing misery air about it which has helped in City always ****ing up down there for years.

noby

04/04/2007, 10:23 AM

The track was newly relayed, so the stand will be outside this. And, yes, the track is used.

Schumi

04/04/2007, 10:25 AM

I wonder if we will be gettin a plastic pitch! heard we are supposed to be gettin one in!Can athletics (javelin, etc.) use a plastic pitch?

NY Hoop

04/04/2007, 10:33 AM

the goverment chipped in another 1.6 million today on top of the fai grant of 600,000 towards the new 2000 seater stand on the far side of the rsc,
waterford city council expects a total bill of around 3 million euro in which they said they will fund the rest towards it.

hopefully they spend a few bob on buying a roller and a few sprinklers for the pitch aswell.

And putting in some tv gantry facilities. It looks absolutely appalling on tv now. I have a lot of time for WUFC but cant understand why this isnt done. If you're trying to sell a product taping games from the stand is not going to work looking out at fields.

KOH

bigmac

04/04/2007, 10:44 AM

Can athletics (javelin, etc.) use a plastic pitch?

As it is, there's a separate area out beyond the track with a throwing circle (to avoid the hammer taking chunks out of the pitch) so if there was a plastic pitch installed I'd imagine that a strip of tartan could be layed out there to facilitate the javelin as well.

Risteard, thanks for the constructive criticism, some excellent ideas there :rolleyes:

bigmac

04/04/2007, 10:45 AM

If you're trying to sell a product taping games from the stand is not going to work looking out at fields.

That's a pitch and putt course actually :p

stann

04/04/2007, 10:50 AM

When did you leave Kilcahoan ?

Kilcohan was a kip that was falling apart, and we didn't own that either. Had a chance to buy it outright for an absolute steal in the glory days but short-termism put paid to that.
Bigmac is right about it being viewed through rose-tinted glasses nowadays, and about the stand being even further away from the pitch too.
Edit: Sorry, can't remember exactly when we moved, think about 1993/1994?

I think a TV gantry will be part of the new development but I'm actually not sure how important it is in selling the product, NYHoop, bear with me for a bit on this.
I was ranting about getting one for a long time but was thinking about this just recently, and can now kind of see the MC's rationale for not wasting cash on this over the last few years.
Who would be showing the goals (don't insult me by saying we'd get any live games)? Who would be watching that particular programme? Aren't they going to be already sold on eL football if they're watching that program? So how many new people will we attract?
Answers: TV3, eL fans, yes, very few if any.

Risteard, yeah that's why players sign for clubs, 'cos they love the shiny new stands.

NY Hoop

04/04/2007, 10:53 AM

Kilcohan was a kip that was falling apart, and we didn't own that either. Had a chance to buy it outright for an absolute steal in the glory days but short-termism put paid to that.
Bigmac is right about it being viewed through rose-tinted glasses nowadays, and about the stand being even further away from the pitch too.

I think a TV gantry will be part of the new development but I'm actually not sure how important it is in selling the product, NYHoop, bear with me for a bit on this.
I was ranting about getting one for a long time but was thinking about this just recently, and can now kind of see the MC's rationale for not wasting cash on this over the last few years.
Who would be showing the goals (don't insult me by saying we'd get any live games)? Who would be watching that particular programme? Aren't they going to be already sold on eL football if they're watching that program? So how many new people will we attract?
Answers: TV3, eL fans, yes, very few if any.

Risteard, yeah that's why players sign for clubs, 'cos they love the shiny new stands.

Appreciate your point there. Maybe you might get live games but IMO the stand is well worth viewing rather than the pitch and putt course across the way.

Not sure about the cost but a temporary structure a few feet off the ground would suffice for the time being. Honestly I wince every time the RSC is on tv now.

KOH

stann

04/04/2007, 10:59 AM

Appreciate your point there. Maybe you might get live games but IMO the stand is well worth viewing rather than the pitch and putt course across the way.

Not sure about the cost but a temporary structure a few feet off the ground would suffice for the time being. Honestly I wince every time the RSC is on tv now.

KOH

They had at one time, I think, but it was removed, maybe HSA regs, maybe the chap wanted his tubes back! :D
I think the idea was they would do it properly this time when they were going to get around doing it at all.
Totally agree though, it does look beyond woeful at the moment.

noby

04/04/2007, 11:01 AM

As it is, there's a separate area out beyond the track with a throwing circle (to avoid the hammer taking chunks out of the pitch) so if there was a plastic pitch installed I'd imagine that a strip of tartan could be layed out there to facilitate the javelin as well.

Risteard, thanks for the constructive criticism, some excellent ideas there :rolleyes:
Tartan? Are you thinking of tossing the caber?

In the case of the plastic pitch (which, frankly won't happen imo), the javelins would have velcro instead of points, like those kiddies dart boards.

Risteard

04/04/2007, 11:26 AM

Risteard, yeah that's why players sign for clubs, 'cos they love the shiny new stands.
Just 'stands' plural really.
I'm pretty sure if you were a professional footballer, you'd like to play in a football ground, not outside a gym with a thousand seats above it.
Obviously appear to be a wum here but even the second stand alone should make your club and matchday seem more attractive for potentiol fans and players alike.
Good luck with it.

Bluebeard

04/04/2007, 12:02 PM

Edit: Sorry, can't remember exactly when we moved, think about 1993/1994?

That was when alright. I remember the first game there was a shield game against St. James Gate or someone, and I looked around and thought words that cannot be accurately recorded here in their true form

Maybe you might get live games but IMO the stand is well worth viewing rather than the pitch and putt course across the way.

More short-termism NY Hoop. If the game is bad,. you'll be able to watch the Pitch and Putt during the Summer months. Part of TV3's plan to show more sports that RTE aren't bothered with.

ifk101

04/04/2007, 12:09 PM

I'm pretty sure if you were a professional footballer, you'd like to play in a football ground, not outside a gym with a thousand seats above it.
Obviously appear to be a wum here but even the second stand alone should make your club and matchday seem more attractive for potentiol fans and players alike.

Actually think this is a very valid point. Good facilities are, without a doubt, a plus in attracting investors and players to a club.

I suppose with this new stand the RSC will be replacing Morten Stadium as the new national athletics stadium? Esp. with Morten Stadium on the verge of being converted into a top-class football arena.

Ceirtlis

04/04/2007, 12:20 PM

Feck - the greyhounds are taking over......! :eek:

That's what i was thinking meself. I've never been there, but the RSC strikes me as a bert place for football. Kilcahoan was a nice wee ground - always liked it. As the likes of Bohs, Drogs and Athlone can attest (and as Derry know painfully) it's always best to own your own ground.

When did you leave Kilcahoan ?

Im from Galway myself so i dont know when they left Kilcohan. Kilcohan is abit like the sportsgrounds in Galway which Gufc have used from time to time in the past. I wouldnt imagine it would be much of a stadium but anywhere has to be better than the RSC which i think is dreadful and is almost literally a dump.

bigmac

04/04/2007, 1:07 PM

noby

04/04/2007, 1:22 PM

Pretty lame? That was one of my better ones. Seriously, that's fine for the take off, but where are the javelins supposed to land? And are they genuinely discussing a plastic pitch?

Partizan

04/04/2007, 1:39 PM

passerrby

04/04/2007, 1:41 PM

Esp. with Morten Stadium on the verge of being converted into a top-class football arena.

pity they cant get a top class team a tennants

bigmac

04/04/2007, 2:48 PM

Pretty lame? That was one of my better ones. Seriously, that's fine for the take off, but where are the javelins supposed to land? And are they genuinely discussing a plastic pitch?

If they put the strip of material out the back, then there's a large landing area of grass that is currently used for the hammer - It could be used for javelin as well, but only if there was a suitable run up.

pp-me

04/04/2007, 3:15 PM

Finally!!! cant wait to see the plans

Top of the league and were havin a laf;)

Top of the league and were havin a laf;)

Top of the league and were havin a laf;)

Mr A

04/04/2007, 3:31 PM

Finally!!! cant wait to see the plans

Top of the league and were havin a laf;)

Top of the league and were havin a laf;)

Top of the league and were havin a laf;)

Top of the league? Having a laugh? You can say that again.

Oh wait, you have!

pete

04/04/2007, 4:46 PM

I don't think building another stand around a running track will improve the RSC much. Its good to see facilities improving but 3m for 1 2,000 seater stand is too much. New Turners Cross stand with 1,500 capacity has been built for about 1m which included knocking existing structure with little space around...

monkey magic

04/04/2007, 10:06 PM

good luck to all involved

Esp. with Morten Stadium on the verge of being converted into a top-class football arena.

:confused: shels related joke that i didnt get or is this an actual reality??

bigmac

05/04/2007, 9:04 AM

3m for 1 2,000 seater stand is too much.

Depends on what it includes Pete. If for example there are decent changing rooms, a gym and physio facilities underneath then it's not too bad. Because this is a municipal stadium, the corporation are generally anxious to improve the overall facilities there, rather than just increase capacity that will only benefit United.

Anyway, I bet we're the only club with a skate park in their stadium :cool:

bigmac

05/04/2007, 9:09 AM

On this photo you can see the area to the South of the stadium that is currently used for throwing the hammer and could be used for javelin were a plastic pitch to be layed. Having said that, this forum is the first mention I've heard of that.

The Man Himself

06/04/2007, 6:59 PM

bigmac? where did you get that pic?

pp-me

06/04/2007, 9:54 PM

Another lose tonight= woeful crowd at next match and since its seems as if it
will be another long season woeful crowds all round =
NO NEED FOR NEW STAND

Tis-smeee

07/04/2007, 9:58 AM

The initial plan with original budget was to have a minimum of 1680 seats but now with the unexpected increase in the money to be spent - 3 million, there is now more leeway to extend capacity to 2-2500 seats which would bring the RSC over the 3500 seater mark (existing stand is 1275).

Dont be surprised if the RSC does get to host national athletic meets.

Sorry to burst your bubble , but what was originally supposed to happen was that we were getting a basic frame stand and everything was set to go, until the fai faxed down uefa standards that would enable us to host glamour under 21 international, so then all budgets went out the window on getting the standards everything went back to tender, and it stalled until joe kelly raised the question at the city council and it all got underway again so the revised budget and everything got the go ahead and now the official sod turning is this thursday bur whether that menas the digger move in on friday i doubt it probabaly a photo oppurtunity:)

Tis-smeee

07/04/2007, 9:59 AM

Another lose tonight= woeful crowd at next match and since its seems as if it
will be another long season woeful crowds all round =
NO NEED FOR NEW STAND

Is this classic shot-termism

pp-me

07/04/2007, 8:33 PM

Sorry to burst your bubble , but what was originally supposed to happen was that we were getting a basic frame stand and everything was set to go, until the fai faxed down uefa standards that would enable us to host glamour under 21 international, so then all budgets went out the window on getting the standards everything went back to tender, and it stalled until joe kelly raised the question at the city council and it all got underway again so the revised budget and everything got the go ahead and now the official sod turning is this thursday bur whether that menas the digger move in on friday i doubt it probabaly a photo oppurtunity:)

Do you know what time on thursday

BohsFans

08/04/2007, 1:42 AM

Will the new stand mean there'll be another entrance into the RSC?

Badly needed/required under UEFA licensing!

pp-me

08/04/2007, 9:17 AM

Yes

From Munster Express

The staging of rock concerts at the Regional Sports Centre became a distinct possibility this week with the securing of up to �3m in funding for a major new stand at the Kilbarry grounds.

Following an application from Waterford City Council, Sports Minister John O� Donoghue TD approved a �1.5m allocation towards the construction of the 1450-seat stand on Monday. This is in addition to a �500,000 grant previously allocated by the National Lottery. Waterford City Council quickly pledged to make up a �1m shortfall from City funds to ensure the speedy construction of the new wheelchair-accessible stand, which will feature space for a small restaurant and a number of meeting rooms. On completion, the new stand will bring the grounds up to UEFA standards.

(Continued on page 2)

The �1m promised by the Council is, in itself, is a substantial investment for the city, according to Cllr. Joe Kelly. �It is an investment not only for the soccer club but for sport in general across the region. Combined with the capacity of the current stand (about 1,250), the new stand will bring the covered seating capacity up to almost 3,000 at the grounds. This opens up the possibility of a concert promoter hiring the RSC from the City Council to stage an event, perhaps putting extra seating on the pitch or even using it as a standing area, similar to the way Nowlan Park in Kilkenny is hired out every summer.�

A new pedestrian entrance with turnstiles from the Inner Ring Road will boost traffic safety in the vicinity of the RSC and a sod-turning ceremony for the new stand will take place on Thursday. With tenders for the project already received by the Council, work is expected to commence later this year.

Risteard

12/04/2007, 3:49 AM

I hear this Joe Kelly has ****ed up big time.
I don't see why the council should call a halt because of his electioneering though.
Makes me thank my lucky stars for our landlords.

Mental Man

12/04/2007, 7:24 AM

Yeah thats true, Joe Kelly is a Scum Fein councillor who opened his bigmouth trying to get browny points for running to the radio to suddenly tell all the public about what was going to happen at the RSC even before the final signatures were on the agreement though it had been agreed through word of mouth as they say.
He was attacked at Tuesday nights council meeting by all the councillors and by the city manager for breaching a code of conduct that all councillors are asked to observe when dealing with delicate situations like this until everything is signed on paper then released to the media and public, now were short 750,000 euro cos of his big mouth and the corpo cant come up with the balance, the B****rd should be "shot" :D for doing something stupid like what he done .