Work is continuing at present on a new €13 million indoor sports arena in Athlone. It is hoped that the completion of the first element of the indoor sports arena will be in the next few months with the new six-lane indoor athletics track becoming the only IAAF approved facility in the Republic. According to Athletics Ireland, the
"indoor athletics track and field auditorium comprises a 200m-banked running track, spectator seating for 1,500 persons, as well as an elevated athlete warm-up area with an 80m sprint track. The separate multipurpose indoor sports auditorium will cater for basketball, futsal; as well as volleyball, badminton and multiple other sports. It too will have spectator seating for 1,500 persons, which can be increased to 3,500 spectators in concert setting. The building incorporates all accepted passive and sustainable technology, including rainwater harvesting and high degrees of insulation. The main athletics arena is naturally lit to reduce running costs, with lights used rarely. The auditoria are naturally ventilated, and the preferred ambient temperature of a sports centre – 16 degrees – facilitates the lowest possible energy use for a building of this type."
For the best part of the last decade, the Irish Indoor Athletic Championships have been held at the Odyssey Arena in Belfast. Once this
new facility in Athlone is completed, it will be much more accessible to athletes from all corners of the country. These are some of the travel times to get to Athlone......Dublin 1:30, Galway 1:00, Limerick 1:50, Cork 2:50, Waterford 2:30, Derry 3:40, Belfast 3:20, Sligo 1:50.
The current plan is that extensive testing will take place in late January / early February and the Athletics Ireland Senior Indoor Championships will be held at this new facility in Athlone on the 16th and 17th of February 2013.
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| Just before the new Mondo track is put down. Photo shows the spectating area. |
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| Plenty of glass on the side of the building allowing lots of daylight in |
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| Plenty of glass on the opposite side as well making for a really bright indoor track. |
Photos courtesy of Athlone IT Athletic Club...
Looks good.Long overdue.To think with the billions gone down the black hole,we could of had a half dozen of these around the country.
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