Brandywell Stadium Development

[marcoloco]

Marco, I sit a few rows back from the disabled section in the Mark Farren, they regularly get soaked. No one would prefer that. There is also a resident oik directly behind them who insists on banging the metal panel every time Derry get as much as a throw in in the opposition half - you can see on the latest photo of hte new stand on the facebook post that the panel is actually now hanging off! That can't be pleasant for them either.
I thought when I saw the plans for the new stand there was a missed opportunity to access from street level at the Lone Moor / Bluebell corner which would have facilitated a rear disabled section, as per the main stand in Celtic park up the road - wheelchair spaces along the back rows. Too late now for the new stand but perhaps the extended Mark Farren, if we ever get it, could be adapted to take out the back two or three rows in a block, with lift access or level access at the Bluebell corner, But that's for another day.
Rodgers, no worries, not sure what you misread, no need to apologise! Though the ability to keep discussion civil and on track is often lost on some here...!

I agree 100%. No one wants to be (or should be) exposed to the elements. And there's no reason why that can not be addressed. Managers, staff and subs sit at pitch level and they are within an enclosed shelter. There's no reason those assisted areas at pitch level can't also have shelter. However, the point remains - if you want to incorporate these assisted areas into the stand at a higher vantage point then you need a much bigger budget and much more space both inside and outside of the stand. Disability Sport NI have Accessible Sports Stadia Guidelines (1 and 3 are particularly relevant) that are worth a read.

[stevebradley]

Steve your talking as if disabled fans have been intentionally excluded or treated in a manner that’s disrespectful to them or their needs.

The reality is costs is a big factor.

So what you're suggesting is that they HAVE been given a certain level of facility/treatment - because of costs.

It needs to be considered at the design stage.

No sh!t

It’s also more than accessibility. Once in the stand you then need space to manoeuvre. So spatial requirements do come into it as does access outside of the stand.

All valid points, but by no means insurmountable. It's all about the design and priorities again.

And then what happens if there’s an incident and a need to evacuate the stand at short notice?

I'm not getting your point here. Emergency egress would have to be factored into the design, and approved by the blue lights before any stand opened. So you wouldn't be allowed to build a stand with a certain standard of diability provision if it was deemed an issue re evacuation.

The reality is unless it’s a big stadium, with a big design budget, lots of space, and an abundance of safety staff on duty it’s not practical.

There's a stand at Newry Showgrounds which would 100% disagree with you on this.

It’s doable yes but it’s not practical especially at our level.

Again - have a look at Newry Showgrounds. They even put a dedicated external lift at one end of the stand to get people in wheelchairs up to the section at the back of the stand. The same could have been done with our new stand. I think they got Sport NI funding as well to help with it.

The brief will also be to maximise capacity and the regulations then tell you what percentage of your capacity must be suitable for disabled spectators. It’s not an afterthought or a fudge.

See - now we're getting to the actual nub of the issue. It;s all about maximising capacity in the stand. And unfortunately providing better/more suitable access for people in wheelchairs would reduce capacity by a very small amount. So they lose out. Let's just be honest about all of this. And you've explained the process as - 'Start with a brief to access capacity, and then the regs say what disabled access you need'. Which is the very definition of it being an after thought.

Before jumping in with righteous comments

If it wasn't against forum policy, I'd tell you to go fcuk yerself for being a condascending pr!ck here... So it's a good thing that I'm not

have you actually spoken to those groups with disabilities? Where do they prefer to be, where do they feel safest? I’m not sure they’ll agree with your opinion that their pitch side facilities and viewing areas are crap or ill-conceived.

I don't need to speak with 'disability groups', who may or may not have any experience of using the Brandywell spaces. Because instead I've spoken with the actual people who use those spaces. Including family friends who do so. There was one life-long Derry fan in particular who's family I knwo very well (he died a couple of years ago unfortunately) who every time it rained had to be taken inside the bar area at the back of the MF Stand, as he couldn't stick getting soaked down the front. So they and their carer had to watch the games on those occasions inside the bar, where you can't hear anything outside and you get mobbed at half-time (though at least you stay dry). Have you spoken with any of those who use the disability spaces at the front of the MF yoyrself, as it genuinely doesn't sound like you have ?

This isn't just some sort of obscure do-gooding issue btw. We keep saying we're a community club, and so we should be taking better care of our most vulnerable suporters IMO. If only out of self-interest - as it is likely that at least some of the people reaidng this will one day end up watching games at the Brandywell in a wheelchair (through either old age or, god forbid, injury)

[stevebradley]

Marco, I sit a few rows back from the disabled section in the Mark Farren, they regularly get soaked. No one would prefer that. There is also a resident oik directly behind them who insists on banging the metal panel every time Derry get as much as a throw in in the opposition half - you can see on the latest photo of hte new stand on the facebook post that the panel is actually now hanging off! That can't be pleasant for them either.
I thought when I saw the plans for the new stand there was a missed opportunity to access from street level at the Lone Moor / Bluebell corner which would have facilitated a rear disabled section, as per the main stand in Celtic park up the road - wheelchair spaces along the back rows. Too late now for the new stand but perhaps the extended Mark Farren, if we ever get it, could be adapted to take out the back two or three rows in a block, with lift access or level access at the Bluebell corner, But that's for another day.
Rodgers, no worries, not sure what you misread, no need to apologise! Though the ability to keep discussion civil and on track is often lost on some here...!

I agree 100%. No one wants to be (or should be) exposed to the elements. And there's no reason why that can not be addressed. Managers, staff and subs sit at pitch level and they are within an enclosed shelter.

Not at the Brandywell they aren't. Those in the dug outs get soaked when it rains, precisely because of the absence of an enclosed shelter. Presumably because whoever deisgned the stand neglected to factor in a proper dug-out with covers at the design stage - and then to add them afterwards would obscure the view of those in the first few rows behind. How well do you know the MF Stand, Marco - as this comments suggests you don't at all ?

There's no reason those assisted areas at pitch level can't also have shelter.

Except in the MF Stand for the obvious fact that it would block the view of those in the seats behind/above them. Will the new stand be any different?

However, the point remains - if you want to incorporate these assisted areas into the stand at a higher vantage point then you need a much bigger budget and much more space both inside and outside of the stand.

Again - there's a a stand at Newry Showgrounds which would appear to disagree with you on this. It has an external lift at one end of the stand, up to a flat platform at the side and back of that stand for disabled supporters and their carers. Yes it reduces space in that part of the stand for non-disabled people - but only by a handful. And for example the spaces at the front of our new stand which are allocated to disabled spaces in the current design could have been reallocated to non-disabled fans to swap out space for a platform at the back, leading to no (or almost no) net-loss in capacity. So how could a similar arrangement to Newry's not have been done at one end of our new stand ?

[marcoloco]

Steve,

You're now speaking like you've never set foot inside a football ground. Most front row seats in any stadium in Ireland and UK are exposed to the elements. Doesn't matter if youre sat in the AVIVA or the Brandywell. When you sit down at the front of any stand (the MF or any other stand) you get wet when it rains.

I'm in full agreement that something should be done to protect the seating at the front of the MF stand from the elements. Maybe when the MF stand is completed it will improve as it will provide a little more cover to those front rows. Currently the unfinished stand is sat exposed to the elements but even then the orientation of it and the prevailing rain / winds means that people will get wet when it rains.

I'm saying that managers and subs at the Brandywell used to sit on the sidelines in a red perspex shelter before the MF stand was constructed. There's no reason why something similar could not be designed into the MF stand for those accessible spaces at the front or for a cover to be introduced for pitch side seating. Go at take a look at the new North Stand at Tallaght. That is a Council project and they provide disabled allocation along the front row where it's found in most grounds. They have also added a perspex cover to the disabled seats as I had suggested.

You're implying is that the disabled allocation is crap and i'm disagreeing. I'm pointing out that it's designed that way, as it is in many stadiums, for the simple reasons including cost, accessibility and space requirements which in the Brandywell's case is limited behind the goal. I'm not saying that provision can't be made within the stand but as I've pointed out this is a matter for the client and their design brief.

Why was it not designed into the MF stand? Ask the Council. Why was it not designed into the North Stand? Revert to my previous answer . End of the day we need to be practical and I think we, collectively as fans, are very fortunate to have a new stand that caters for everyones needs.

I think this probably comes back to your idea that POD should no longer concern himself with costs and just build us a new state of the art stadium in Templemore? Everything is doable if you have money and are willing to spend it. Maybe its something you should ask him directly if it concerns you so?

It's also worth remembering that inclusive design is not just about where someone sits. It starts when someone arrives at the stadium. This includes car parking, stadium accessible routes, accessible toilet facilities, lift access to hospitality areas, provision for a wide spectrum of illnesses not just mobility, space for guide dogs etc and of course emergency personnel accessibility. These would be matters for the Council to deliver as owner. The Club, who are a tenant, are making strides in this direction and we've seen the additional of assitance hearing experience for those fans with no or limited eye sight.

[magspat]

Some people never happy when we get a new grass pitch we will have state of the art stadium ,Thanks toPOD for the new north stand.

[brandyball]

Too many people with too much time on their hands.

[marcoloco]

Too many people with too much time on their hands.

[brandyball]

Updated photos

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/12DPzp4k3gS/

[Keyser Soze]

Taking shape. Looks good.

Let's hope all goes well and it's packed and jumping for the first home game of the season.

[rodgers]

Any chance of a scoreboard in the corner with the Southend Stand?

[marcoloco]

Quite surprised by the distance it’s set back from the goal. Expected it to be a bit closer to the action. You could put a road down behind that goal.

[marcoloco]

Quite surprised by the distance it’s set back from the goal. Expected it to be a bit closer to the action. You could put a road down behind that goal.

Maybe when we get our new pitch it will be set back closer to create extra space at the Showgrounds end... ??

[Marty]

Wouldn't that be ideal.

[Greengo]

VIDEO I MADE TODAY, 27th DEC 2024

[Keyser Soze]

Looks good.
Nice video Greengo.
Santa bring a drone for Xmas?

[Eamando1981]

Anybody hear where the new temporary training base is?

[Greengo]

Looks good.
Nice video Greengo.
Santa bring a drone for Xmas?

LOL... nah... I sold my camera gear and bought one... taking my photography to new heights

[Keyser Soze]

Anybody hear where the new temporary training base is?

Hearing either Strabane or Dungiven.

[davybhoy]

It really is pathetic that we have to venture outside the city for decent training facilities. I think in the past we used the Vale Centre as well in Greysteel.

[dcfc_jp_1989]

Anybody hear where the new temporary training base is?

Hearing either Strabane or Dungiven.

If its Dungiven I'd assume its the relatively new leisure centre which only opened in the last few years, this also is under the remit of the Causeway Coast & Glens Borough Council which should serve as an embarrassment to Derry City & Strabane District Council that the only full-time professional football club in their area has had to avail of the services of another council to meet their demands for training facilities