Latest rink update

[Wannabe2]

Sorac yesterday met with the developers of our new home, and it was a extremely positive meet, it was a meat and bones discussion with the finer issues being talked about at a later date. We left feeling very very upbeat about how things went, and here are a few things that were discussed.

The rink will be as discussed, a amphitheatre with 3,100 seats, there will be a walkway around the rink in front of the first row of seats as the seating will be raised so as the sightlines are not interrupted with, this walkway will not be the main entry but there for health and safety reasons, if fact when you enter the building you will be at the centre concourse therefore walking down or up to wherever your seats are.

There will be parking for 1600 cars, and the main rink will be 60mts x 30mts with the 2nd pad being 56mts x 27 mts think that is what we have at this moment, it will have 4 changing rooms in the main gaff, and when you park your car you will be able to see the skaters on the public rink thru glass walls.

The build will be £15 million showing that we at long last we will be getting a venue that our great city deserves. The building is likely to start work on March 2013, and will be a 14 month build that then should see us in the new rink May 2014, there has been guarantees that we will still have the BBT until this completion date, there will be a public bar which will probably have folding doors to extend the room space to cater for our needs, with screens installed.

The operator whoever is successful should be appointed by the end of 2012. The plans that were shown were really first class, and if this building is half as good as what the presentation portrayed then my friends we are going to be very happy bunnies. Sorac will be having regular meetings with the developers as they want to keep us up to speed and to work together making sure that all the ice users are catered for.

It was a real pleasure to meet all the people involved in this project, and our gut feeling is that at long last we are all about to finally get what we have for so long deserved. As time goes by and we have more meetings with the latest news then this will conveyed to your good selves, so for now guys its looking very good over the horizon.

HAPPY HOCKEY DAYS.

 

[Finny]

Thanks for the update, it does sound pretty good.

A quick couple of questions if you don't mind? (Some of which are going to be pretty stupid sorry)

You mention a front walkway and a centre concourse. Is the concourse inside the arena so that you can see the ice from it, or is it outside like in the NIC?

I'm always confused with the term ampitheatre, as I reckon this can mean full circle or horseshow. Can you confirm which it is?

Is there a bar or cafe which overlooks either/both icepad?

Are there corporate boxes?

Is there any chance that the plans will be made public?

 

[SORAC]

The plans we were shown yesterday show a full bowl and the bar and hopitality areas overlook the two pads, the second pad has standing all around and some room for bleacher seating at one end. There is a lot of detail to go into Finny and we were shown computer generated images which don t actually show the detail very well. As Glynne has said there will be a series of meeetings between SORAC, and rink users to discuss these details.

I am certain some of these plans will be made Public as it will be a facility that Cardiff and the Developers can be proud of. Why would anyone not want their designs to be made public

 

[osh]

Thanks for the update guys, nice to know that the developers have taken your thoughts onboard and obviously value your input.

I have to say that I am disappointed to hear that the work won't actually start until March 2013 !
I was under the impression that work was to start this year with an opening target date of October/November of 2013. I think it has always been mentioned that we were looking to play there before Christmas of 2013. The latest news means that if it is to be completed in May of 2014, we won't actually be playing there until the 2014/15 season. However, the main thing is we will have a new rink and we just have to be patient once more I suppose.

 

[Wannabe2]

Know where your coming from there Osh, i was also dissapointed by the date as i had hoped to be in the building by Dec 2013, as we had been led to believe initially, not by the Developers though i may add. However we still live in hope that it may possibly still happen, but if it dont then for a matter of 9 months to get what we look like getting it will be well worth it. Soon as we have more news Sorac will post it on, it does look the business though so good things come to those who wait as they say.

 

[Koop11]

Cheers for the update Gynne. It all sounds very encouraging. I agree with Osh that it’s disappointing that the start date for construction appears to have been delayed even further but as long as we have somewhere to play in the meantime (BBT) and there is a seamless transition into the new rink then it will be worth it. I do hope however that the club can remain competitive in the meantime. Assuming the suggested dates are met, that means we will have played in the BBT for 8 years!

I’m pleased that there will be 3100 seats. I accept that the ideal sized rink for hockey at this level would be 4000 but if you can get regular sell out crowds in a facility that holds 3100 seats (not including coorperate?) then you can be more than competitive. Other than Nottingham, there are not many teams that pull up to 3000 week in week and be close to capacity (although there are promising signs in Braehead at the moment). The rental costs on half empty arenas like Sheffield and Belfast are huge but I would imagine a 3100 seater would be relatively low in comparison.

The basic design as explained sounds very promising. As Finny has asked, it would interesting to know whether the concourse will be like Nottingham (enclosed from the rink) or like Ice Sheffield where you can see the ice. Ideally like Nottingham but wouldn’t bother me really if it were like Ice Sheffield. Priority is that the rink is designed in such a way that every fan can see every inch of the ice in the comfort of their seat. Whilst there will be a walkway in the front of the seating for health and safety reasons, I wonder whether this will mean an option for fans to stand along the plexi.

I’m pleased to read that £15m has been ear marked for construction. Whilst it was a good 10 years plus ago when Nottingham had their new home built, I’m sure the NIC was not far off that cost (lottery funded I understand). If £15 is really to be put into this then I think we will have a facility that will be the envy of many hockey clubs.

Interesting that we will know who the operator is by the end of the year. I’m sure PR will wish to bid for that but I do wonder whether PI will also. Time will tell.

Thank you SORAC. Your commitment and hard work is very much appreciated.

 

[Ingramator]

I am really excited, can't wait to see new pictures, I know its a while away. But do they do anything with current season ticket holders when they are about to change rink e.g show us around to see where we.want to sit, or will they just do a general walk around? U wasn't watching when it came across to the bbt so just wondered.

 

[phil PLT]

I am really excited, can't wait to see new pictures, I know its a while away. But do they do anything with current season ticket holders when they are about to change rink e.g show us around to see where we.want to sit, or will they just do a general walk around? U wasn't watching when it came across to the bbt so just wondered.

Season ticket holders had a chance to look at the BBT when moving from the WNIR first. Quite a few changed there seats because of the poor sight lines.

 

[jodysstillagirlsname]

I’m pleased to read that £15m has been ear marked for construction. Whilst it was a good 10 years plus ago when Nottingham had their new home built, I’m sure the NIC was not far off that cost (lottery funded I understand). If £15 is really to be put into this then I think we will have a facility that will be the envy of many hockey clubs.
.

Koop, I believe Nottingham was nearer the £25m mark, but it was built on two levels in a City Centre location with numerous road closures and diversions and the associated costs with any construction in a busy area

 

[Koop11]

Cheers Jodystillagirlsname.

 

[shoes_off]

Whilst there will be a walkway in the front of the seating for health and safety reasons, I wonder whether this will mean an option for fans to stand along the plexi.

I wonder if it will be like the Sky Dome in that respect? I would've preferred seats that go right down to the plexi as you feel 'closer' to the pad then, but then we do have a lot of people who like to stand in our tent.

 

[jodysstillagirlsname]

Whilst there will be a walkway in the front of the seating for health and safety reasons, I wonder whether this will mean an option for fans to stand along the plexi.

I wonder if it will be like the Sky Dome in that respect? I would've preferred seats that go right down to the plexi as you feel 'closer' to the pad then, but then we do have a lot of people who like to stand in our tent.

No the seats will be one level up so standing on plexi would restrict view of first two rows

 

[TheStub]

Whilst there will be a walkway in the front of the seating for health and safety reasons, I wonder whether this will mean an option for fans to stand along the plexi.

I wonder if it will be like the Sky Dome in that respect? I would've preferred seats that go right down to the plexi as you feel 'closer' to the pad then, but then we do have a lot of people who like to stand in our tent.

No the seats will be one level up so standing on plexi would restrict view of first two rows

Not sure how I feel about that, as it would neither deliver one view experience of the other. It gives the seating separation that allows for standing but without giving standing.

Can't see how it would be a safety issue to have the seating to ice level, all the major ice arenas in the world have seating to ice level. Unless it is to allow better access to the ice for training and public skating.

 

[jodysstillagirlsname]

The reason given was that access was needed all around, if a fire was at the top of one side most people would run down. This would allow easier access to fire escapes in other parts of arena.

As Glynne has already said there is a lot of details to go through and we don t even know what cider is available in the bar or what Pies and Pasties will be stocked in the cafe yet

 

[TheStub]

The reason given was that access was needed all around, if a fire was at the top of one side most people would run down. This would allow easier access to fire escapes in other parts of arena.

It can't be that unsafe, almost every major ice arena in the world have seating to ice level.

As Glynne has already said there is a lot of details to go through and we don t even know what cider is available in the bar or what Pies and Pasties will be stocked in the cafe yet

It has to be Evans Pies.

 

[phil PLT]

we don t even know what cider is available in the bar

What!!!! what kind of shambles is that :lol:

 

[Hynod]

A lot can happen in a year. Not getting excited until ground is broken.

 

[SORAC]

A lot can happen in a year. Not getting excited until ground is broken.

Please yourself but it is not going to dampen our enthusiasm for the whole project. Story and images will appear in the Echo tomorrow.

 

[Gazza272]

A lot can happen in a year. Not getting excited until ground is broken.

Please yourself but it is not going to dampen our enthusiasm for the whole project. Story and images will appear in the Echo tomorrow.

I'ed have thought SORAC more than any other poster would be sympathetic to some skepticism regarding developments given the years of false promises etc.

Posts like that shouldnt really come from an official account like that imo.

 

[jodysstillagirlsname]

A lot can happen in a year. Not getting excited until ground is broken.

Please yourself but it is not going to dampen our enthusiasm for the whole project. Story and images will appear in the Echo tomorrow.

I'ed have thought SORAC more than any other poster would be sympathetic to some skepticism regarding developments given the years of false promises etc.

Posts like that shouldnt really come from an official account like that imo.

Apologies if this caused offence I am in my own account now, although I can understand the scepticism, without the hope for a positive outcome we wouldn't have carried on and we would all be watching the skydome 2 single pad 2000 seat rink being constructed.