.....but only while development work takes place! :)
Tyrone unveil stand plans
21 December 2006
Plans for a second covered stand at Healy Park in Omagh have been unveiled by the Tyrone county board.
A 5,000-seater stand was opened in 2004, but now ambitious Tyrone officials feel it is time for additional covered and seated accommodation. Work had already commenced on the second phase of a Stg5 million redevelopment project. This will see the addition of a new control tower, press box, dressing rooms and the installation of a lift in the stand.
Healy Park became the first county ground in Ulster to stage a floodlit match earlier this year and is now recognised as one of the premier GAA venues in the country, second only to the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.
Does anyone know why we named the ground after David Healy anyway?
Quotesecond only to the Athletic Grounds in Armagh.
Double take!
Quote from: realredhandfan on December 21, 2006, 04:21:00 PM
Does anyone know why we named the ground after David Healy anyway?
No you have it wrong there Real. In fact Tyrone are trying to get Windsor Park named after David Healy. With the cooperation of David Geoffreys they reckon they will get to train in the new Healy Park quicker :P
Speaking of the Athletic Grounds, as Armagh County Board any plans to provide a decent ground in the county any time sound? At the minute they must have about the worst facilities in the country. Certainly the worst of the counties considered top 10 in football.
SS its obvious Armaghs not in this for the long haul. why waste the dough?
I'm not sure that a second covered, seated stand especially if its like the first one is really necessary unless they feel that the place is to become a strong contender for hosting home & neutral senior county championship matches. The current covered stand is rarely filled as it is, can only think of three occasions when it either has or came close to. Maybe a leaf could be taken out of Pearse Park in Longford which has three sides roofed with a mixture of seating and terracing.
Geography wise, Omagh would be an ideal venue for hosting neutral ties but the parking and transport infrastructure near the ground and in the town is not up to scratch for big games.
Who was the Healy that the park takes its name from, surely not Tim
It is called after Michael Healy an old Omagh St Endas stalwart.
Hopefully they'll sort out the disabled section. It's a joke at the moment.
Quote from: ziggysego on December 21, 2006, 11:09:41 PM
Hopefully they'll sort out the disabled section. It's a joke at the moment.
Have to agree with you there Ziggy. In fact it's a disgrace. I see from omaghstendas website there's a lift going in. I heard they intend to establish a disabled area at the back of the stand by removng a few rows of seats. Don't know how true that is though. Hopefully it is.
I would be amazed in the first place that the stand got planning permission without some sort of disabled access. Better late than never I guess...
There was access to the front of the stand Fionn with elevated areas for wheelchairs etc. However if it rained there was no shelter. It always looked like an after thought or second class treatment. I'd guess the lift was always a plan at some stage though you never know.
If they want to have big games in omagh the whole place would need to be better organised.I know a friend from louth who was sitting in traffic for nearly an hour trying to get in to the qualifier game this year.
QuoteMaybe a leaf could be taken out of Pearse Park in Longford which has three sides roofed with a mixture of seating and terracing.
Is this a recent development Fionntamhnach? We were down at the league game in 04 and I can't recall a 3-sided roofed structure? We stood at main entrance side which wasnt covered at all and I thought there was only one stand at the opposite side?
Quote from: parttimeexile on December 22, 2006, 09:39:39 AM
If they want to have big games in omagh the whole place would need to be better organised.I know a friend from louth who was sitting in traffic for nearly an hour trying to get in to the qualifier game this year.
Yes partime that seemed to be a nightmare for louth supporters however I think a lot of things conspired against them that day. First it was organised on a weeks notice as it was a qualifier replay. Second it took place on a Saturday afternoon which didn't help traffic conjestion. Thirdly there was a lot of road works delays for the Louth ones along the route and finally some Louth fans who hadn't been to Healy Park in a long time didn't give themselves enough time to get to the venue.
Dont forget as well the Louth management forgot to book a warm up pitch before the game as well>