Indoor Sporting Arena
Proposed Development
• Size of building: 12,000m2
• The main functions of the facility are:
– the athletics arena
– the multi-sport arena
– the outdoor stand to serve the existing track
• There are also comprehensive support facilities
for elite athlete training, medical facilities and
café, general changing facilities
Proposed Facilities
Present Situation
• Lack of quality indoor facilities in Ireland
• Extensive community needs
• Lack of running track is a barrier to the
development of athletics in the Athlone region
for able-bodied and special needs athletes
• Boost to AIT hosting of HSE Community Games
National Finals
NGB Support Sought & Consultants
• International athlete – Eamonn Coghlan
• Athletics Ireland – John Foley, CEO
• Football Association of Ireland – Paddy McCaul,
President
• Irish Institute of Sport – Gary Keegan
• Westmeath/Leinster GAA – Tom Farrell
• Athlone Town Council
Public Use
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
AC Celtic FC
Roscommon AC, St Ronan’s AC
Buccaneers RFC
Westmeath GAA
All-army regional & national athletics finals
Connacht schools track & field
HSE Community Games
Athlone & District Schoolboy League squads
Connacht rugby u-20 development squad
Athletics Ireland development squads
Various county hurling and football teams
for friendly inter-county matches
Event Hosting
Proven Ability & Facilities to Host & Manage Events
•
HSE Community Games National Finals hosts
2009-2012
•
Celtic Games, AAI Games hosts
•
Excellent car parking, catering, etc.
•
Central location of institute to all major transport routes
•
Athlone Hospital, Portiuncla Hospital, Tullamore
Hospital, abundant sports physiotherapists
•
Airports: Knock 45mins, Dublin 1½hrs, Shannon 2hrs
Justification for Facility
• First mover advantage – no comparable track or
facility in Ireland
• NGBs supporting this ambitious plan
• Strong support of local and regional clubs
• Complements AIT’s outdoor track and astro-turf
pitch
• Increases attractiveness of institute for students
• Enhances facilities for existing students, staff and
community
Olympics 2012
• Prime location for Olympic 2012 team training
camps
• General hospitals
• Sports physiotherapists
• Local and national transport services
• Accommodation (abundant Section 50)
• Access to airports
Enhancement of Existing Facilities
on Campus
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Multi-purpose sports hall
Fully equipped fitness suite
Aerobics/circuit training area
Full-size GAA and soccer pitches
IAAF-approved athletics track
FIFA 2-star artificial soccer pitch
Cross-country track
Lecture/meeting rooms
Extensive canteen facilities
Parking
Management
• Staff of the institute sports department to
manage, maintain and market the new facilities
• Available to community groups, schools, Rapid
initiatives
Main Elements of Building
• Indoor athletics track and field auditorium:
– 200m banked running track
– spectator seating for 1,500 persons
– elevated athlete warm-up area with an 80m sprint
track
• Separate multipurpose indoor sports auditorium:
– basketball/futsal, multi-sports
– spectator seating for 1,500 persons
• Potential for 3,500 spectators in concert setting
Main Elements of Building
• 500-person outdoor spectator stand overlooking
the existing 400m outdoor track and field facility,
with finish line control room
• Ancillary accommodation including:
–
–
–
–
–
–
10 changing room facilities
gymnasium
high-performance training rooms
recovery suite
medical centre and support rooms
café/restaurant
Building Materials
• The materials of the building are primarily
a palette of three high quality materials:
– Portland concrete panel
– green copper panel
– thermally broken, solar glare-reducing double
glazing
• It is deliberately chosen to avoid metal
panelling
Environmental Considerations
• The building incorporates all accepted passive
and sustainable technology, including rainwater
harvesting, high degrees of insulation
• The main athletics arena is naturally lit to reduce
running cost, with lights used rarely
• The auditoriums are naturally ventilated. The
preferred ambient temperature of a sports centre
– 16 degrees – facilitates lowest possible energy
use for a building of this type