Hawkfield

September update now on the official website.

Looking good. When finished it will be a great facility for Kildare.

http://www.kildaregaa.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=462:progress-photos-september-2010&catid=159:hawkfield&Itemid=198

If Im not mistaken that looks like a construction site. Jaysus, I remember them from years ago. Good times.

Sam1928 wrote:

If Im not mistaken that looks like a construction site. Jaysus, I remember them from years ago. Good times.

Yes thems were de times where I thought the singing of Christy Moores "Ordinary Man" was of times long forgotten never to return.........

They should have all the unemployed trademans/construction workers on the Kildare panel working on hawkfield. Would be a good way of giving them a job for a while...

When thats finished they should turn their attention to the County grounds now that the proposed new ground out by Old Connell is now all but a pipedream, vast improvements are needed especially the main stand area, they should strive to make all the stands seating area and join them altogether to have one big main stand, and add a terrace at the Kilcullen goal end, the toilet facilities are a disgrace not even a sink to wash your hands in, the county board shouldn't have to go into great expense to initiate these necessary changes.
Been one of the better supported counties we should have a county ground to be proud of not ashamed off, in fairness the pitch itself is a great playing surface but when you look at some of the other grounds around the country our stands have remained frozen in time.

The money simply isn't there KC and won't be for at least 3-5 years with the GAA getting no funding for capital projects.

It would be great if they could seat the whole stand, put a cantilever roof on it and sort out new dressing rooms and jacks underneath. I would estimate that would cost between €4m - €6m (Tullamore's new stand cost €5.3m & terrace €1.6m) - http://www.kennylyons.ie/projects-page49452.html

That kind of money simply isn't there though and it's a pity we didn't get moving on a stadium project about ten years earlier. Whether the site of St Conleths would even allow for redevelopment is also debatable. I suppose there is about five metres all the way around the ground behind the concrete walls. The whole pitch could be moved a few yards towards the barracks side of the stadium if a redeveloped stand needed more space. There isn't a lot that needs to be done with the terracing itself apart from maybe extending the barracks terrace all the way down towards the scoreboard corner at the Kilcullen end. That could be done relatively cheaply one would presume.

I can't see anything happening for at least 5 years but I think a redevelopment of St Conleths could be achieved for a reasonable price. Any number of white elephants were built across the country in recent years that will rarely be full - Wexford Park, McHale Park, Nolan Park, Gaelic Grounds etc. A ground with a capacity of about 12,000 would be perfectly sufficient for Kildare's needs.

The old place just needs a bit of sprucing up. The main things needed are new Dressing rooms and proper toilet facilities and dare I say it Floodlights.

As KK has said we don't need a 25,000 stadium at the moment or ever now that you see the other grounds that have had money spent on them.
What we do have is a ground smack bang in the middle of Newbridge, that generates a good atmosphere and when the time is right a magnficent atmosphere when fully packed out, that with a little money could be a top notch home for Kildare GAA.

I wouldn't be overly worried about the terraces,i'd be delighted if we have a decent stand with more dressing rooms incorporated and floodlights.I wouldn't even want it all seated,i like standing in newbridge,ya get a great view from it.we don't need to get into major debt.12-15000 would be grand,possibly making the pitch a little bigger would suit us better.oh and take down the pillars in front of stand and walls around pitch.

Kilcullen end is extremely underutilised and you could have a proper dressing room set-up down that end without too much hassle. Heck even roll out the sponsor a brick thingy to get it off the ground.

If the money is not available for a whole new grandstand, they can always keep the existing structure get a few drums of white paint and get rid of that dull grey look, add a few modern plastic seats mostly white with a sprinkling of black or green [alternative strip] here and there so you don't suffer from snow blindness, adding the extra terrace at the Kilcullen goal end will negate any capacity loss from the introduction of the seating into the terraced areas of the current stand, It would do as a short term solution that should be well within the County Boards current financial footing, I stand to be corrected on that though?.
New toilet facilities and dressing rooms a no brainer!.

Looks Fantastic! Future is bright.

Couple of things. First off if there was money there, I never understood the GAA mentality of knocking down the existing stand to build a new one, surely it would make more sense to leave old one and replace the terrace on the opposite side with a stand. Secondly, have the county board officially cancelled the new ground and anyone have any idea what the architects costs ran to on it (remember seeing some 3D stuff on the Six-One News of our new ground and knowing costs of doing that stuff, it isn't cheap). And finally, heard the figure the county board are in the red the other day. Probably not allowed post it here, but GULP...

Are the county board end of year accounts or Income and expenditure statement availiable for public viewing?

Sam1928 wrote:

Are the county board end of year accounts or Income and expenditure statement availiable for public viewing?

I think so, although I'd say they hope not!!! They are all submitted to the GAA at the end of the year and are available early next year I think. Not 100 per cent sure though.

Should be available to delegates to Co. Convention i think

Don't know why people get so hung up on GAA & money issues. They are like the Vatican Bank, there is no shortage of money within the organisation (Croke Park) with regards to upgrade and infrastructure projects.

So capital expenditure and facilites upgrade figures should be viewed and accounted for seperatley versus team expenditure. I am only interested in the team expenditure figures and how that end of things generate revenue.

I have no issue with the county board and finance issues. Just would like to see the breakdown of expenditure within the county e.g. how much spent on the senior team, other county teams, underage, county grounds , captial projects etc etc.

Likewise I'd like to see how much money they take in from gate receipts and HQ, sponsorship etc.

Cant be easy in the current climate.

Sam1928 wrote:

I have no issue with the county board and finance issues. Just would like to see the breakdown of expenditure within the county e.g. how much spent on the senior team, other county teams, underage, county grounds , captial projects etc etc.

Likewise I'd like to see how much money they take in from gate receipts and HQ, sponsorship etc.

Cant be easy in the current climate.

this will be publish at county convention when this on