DEMOLITION COMMENCES AT LANSDOWNE ROAD STADIUM
Demolition work has commenced on the Lansdowne Road Stadium. The work which commenced earlier this week will initially concentrate on the South Terrace. In all the demolition works will take seven months and are due for completion at the end of December this year. Construction of the new stadium will commence before the end of May.
Mr John O’Donoghue, Minister for Arts, Sport and Tourism visited Lansdowne Stadium earlier today (Thursday, 17 May) to view the demolition works. He was accompanied by Mr Philip Browne, chief executive, IRFU and Mr John Delaney, chief executive, FAI. Other members of the board of Lansdowne Road Stadium Development Company were also present.
Demolition will go on in a number of different areas of the stadium during the rest of May. Works will include:
• Commencement demolition South Terrace
• ‘‘Soft strip’ of West Stand
• Removal of lower terrace from West Stand (this is a separate structure to the actual West Stand
• Removal of the roof of the West Stand
No demolition works on the West Stand will be undertaken that might interfere with the operation of the DART. Demolition of that part of the West Stand that overhangs the DART will only be undertaken during non-operating hours of the DART and by agreement with Iarnrod Eireann.
The ‘soft strip’ of the West Stand is mainly internal to that stand. It includes the removal of wood, partitioning, lights, etc, all of which will go for recycling.
The overall project is being managed by Project Management Group, Ireland’s largest project management firm. Initially there are two contracts involved in the demolition/construction. These are as follows:
• Demolition of existing stadium and construction of the podium over the railway
• Substructure/Foundations for the new stadium
These contracts have been awarded. The demolition/railway works contracts has been awarded to a joint venture company consisting of one of Ireland’s leading construction companies Michael McNamara & Company along with Somague one of Portugal’s leading construction companies specialising in stadia. They will be working with specialist demolition company DSM from the UK.
The foundations contract has been awarded to Ascon the largest civil engineering company in Ireland. Both companies are on site as the plan is to begin foundations construction almost simultaneously with the demolition.
The Main Contract for the construction of the new stadium is being tendered at the moment.
Overall Programme for Demolition of Existing Stadium and Construction of New Stadium
The following is the broad schedule of works involved in the demolition of the existing stadium and the construction of the new stadium. It is planned that the new stadium will be ready for matches in 2010.
Demolition and rail corridor contract: May 2007 to December 2007
Substructure contract: May 2007 to May 2008
Main stadium contract: July 2007 to October 2009
Structural steelwork contract: September 2007 to September 2009
Roofing and cladding contract: May 2008 to September 2009
Mechanical contract: February 2008 to October 2009
Electrical contract: March 2008 to October 2009
Pitch installation contract: April 2009 to October 2009
Commissioning: October 2008 to December 2009
Speaking at the stadium Minister O’Donoghue said that he was delighted that work had commenced and that the first steps had been taken on the road to a wonderful new stadium which would be a fitting home for Irish rugby and soccer.
Regards,
Claire Seale
LRSDC
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