THE FINAL DRAFT WHICH WILL BE SENT BY EMAIL TO DAVID LLOYD TOMORROW MORNING 25TH FEBRUARY 2013. I WILL ALSO SEND A COPY TO AMY KINGTON AS ONE OF THE PROPOSALS/COMMENTS RELATES TO COMMUNITY MATTERS. The Bristol City supporters who contribute to the “Not606” website have been discussing the Board’s proposals for the rebuilding of Ashton Gate and would like the following points to be given serious consideration by the Club. 1. Stand Design and Materials The design of and materials used in the construction of the stands / roofs must be conducive to good acoustics and amplification of the crowd noise. The majority of us are concerned that if a “Bowl” type design is used, the noise generated by the crowd may just disappear into the walls, roof and into the air at the front. Our concerns were vividly highlighted at the recent match at the Cardiff City Stadium, where those present report that the noise of a 25,000 crowd was very poor. So design of the roof and materials used is of paramount importance to good acoustics and noise generation. Many modern stadia suffer from this problem and we very much want to retain throughout the rebuilt Ashton Gate, the crowd noise/atmosphere that is currently generated from the Wedlock stand. We consider that if this involves some not unreasonable extra cost, it would be recouped many times over in match points won for years to come. We propose that all of the roofs within the rebuilt stadium are included in this respect. 2. Safe Standing A significant majority want to have safe standing areas, especially behind the goals and request the club to include provision for this. We accept that this will only prove to be viable should current legislation be changed to allow a return to standing areas. 3. Toilets & Refreshments The number of toilet and refreshment facilities to be increased from those currently provided in the Atyeo stand by 30- 50%. 4. Wheelchair Positions Viewing positions for supporters who are confined to wheelchairs, must be sited at a much higher level than the current “worm’s eye view” together, of course, with easy access to the site level. We understand that this may involve dedicated spiral inclines as use of electrical lifts may not be permitted during emergency evacuation of the stadium. “Wheelchair sites” should be included in both Wedlock and Williams rebuilds and for away team supporters. 5. Underground parking Have the Club considered underground car parking? As there will be many tonnes of spoil to be removed especially from the Wedlock, it would seem to be sensible while the equipment is on site, to dig out the soil under ground level. Extra car-parking provides an additional source of revenue. Site under rebuilt Williams and Wedlock Stands? 6. Underground Sports Facility Sports facilities under stands or alternatively underground. The Bristol City Community Trust is now involving the Club in the community in a way that has previously not been done. We have always simply been a football club. But throughout Europe, many football clubs are in fact “Sports Clubs”. I live in Portugal and Sport Lisbon & Benfica, better known as Benfica, is a good example. They organise a staggering number of sports for the local community children and young adults of both genders; Athletics, Handball, Volleyball, Futsal, Basketball, Martial Arts, Boxing, Karting, Canoeing, Triathlon, Swimming, Table Tennis, Judo, Hockey, Rugby and Kickboxing. If Bristol City Community Trust were to do anything toward becoming this type of sporting club existing parallel to and in tandem with the Football Club yet without intruding on existing organisations for many of these sports, just imagine how many young people may well become lifelong Cityites if they actually played for Bristol City even if it’s a sport other than football. Many of the sports listed above would be more suited to off-stadium buildings and locations, but as a start and also a useful addition to the Football Club’s training facilities, what about a Futsal pitch underground or under a stand. Or if sufficient match day car parking went underground, could new buildings be established in the Winterstoke car-park? 7. Renaming of Stands If there is any intention to rename the rebuilt stands, please canvas supporters before you do so. Whether he passes Atyeo’s appearances or not, will the Club consider naming a section after Louis Carey. In the same vein, we assume many will agree that Steve Lansdown should also be recognised in this way. 8. Exits/Toilets in Dolman Improved exits and toilet facilities in/from the Dolman, with special emphasis on those from the higher parts of the stand. 9. Filling the Gaps at each end of Atyeo Stand Instal seating to fill the gaps between Atyeo/Dolman and Atyeo/Williams. Initially this could be done without roof cover? We hope that our comments are useful information for the decisions that the Club’s Board will be making on our behalf about the reconstruction of Ashton Gate should this be the chosen route.
I don't know who you think the FP, SC&T etc are made up of? Martians? Gasheads? Even Worse..Accountants!!! They are all fans who have been campaigning for years for things like safe standing & redeveloping AG and it's a bit rich to talk about getting some fans views on board! Like many others, I was involved in re-opening the EE for City Fans-I don't go in there but I realise that a lot of people want to stand, shout, jump about & sing, so I supported the campaign & presented to SL.It's also better that fans who want to sit don't have their views selfishly obstructed by those wanting what these days clubs call a different "matchday expereince." In terms of sustainability, if it isn't taken into account we won't get planning permission and we'll build bugger all. It also has to pass 2012 building regulations and, for example, the Dolman Stand doesn't currently but obviously will, if redeveloped. In terms of cost, SL has agreed to fund it 100% if we can't get sponsors/investors to stump up the £40m cash so that amount of money is limited.If you go to an architect and say build me a stadium to house 30,000 people within this footprint (The land we own).It also, potentially, needs to go up to 35,000 if we're succesful, you'll get a build quality,size, type to match and that's what the initial plans show. Given that I consider it likely he will convert our debt to equity at th end of this season, that's £80m he'll have to find over the next 3-6 years.Now, if someone can say hang on lets build something that is of a more traditional style (Unlike Cov,Bolton, Cardiff etc) then I'm sure SL will do backflips up and down Winsterstoke Rd. Stoke have a new stadium and are consistently rated as the loudest in the league so it's about what happens on the pitch and in the crowd not just the design/build. If your brief is spend what you like and build what you want, then you can have "almost" anything. Things like accoustics, safe standing, singing areas, rear access/exit from all stands etc have all been taken into account and are in the existing plans as are more boxes than we will have if AV goes ahead and catering for almost 1,000 people that can be broken down into more manageable areas for conferencing, meetings etc. Fans will have a major say in the interior of the ground-Probably more than the vast majority of clubs have ever had.
How more open than minutes on the OS do you want it to be? Anyone in the World can read them and send comments to Dave Llloyd or the members representing different areas of the ground-Can you let me know what else you'd like in some detail with examples?
Both of whom attend the FP meetings. All your points have been raised in the right place and will,I'm sure, form part of the agenda for the forthcoming meeting ref redevelopment/AV.
The station will be built if the redevelopment goes ahead and isn't dependant on other lines etc.It is subject to planning and Network Rail approval, regs, so don't expect to see it next week!!
Lads who have been campaigning re the EE for years were in the hen and chicken saturday and they didn't know what this fans parliament was about or this consultation. Seems only a few are part of this. Brief from the club was fans will get consulted on things that are important to them. Seems you have already decided what is important for fans. Stoke are not all that was up there fo the play off season and before.
Designs chosen then!! Acoustics is the one that is important for quite a few. ST surveys back that up!! Pretty meaningless choosing the toilet paper. Fans in general have not been kept up to speed with what was going on.
Stoke & Man City have new grounds and both were jumping when I've been there.Lot better than AG, that's for sure.Mind you they've had a lot more to shout about than we have
It is on otib and nobody seems to know the score - http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/152931-ashton-gate-re-design/ Only appears for the itk this.
The EXTERIOR Construction has been more or less decided and accoustics have been very much incorporated into that.It's been all over the local media, OS & Forums.Fans in General seem quite up to date to me and, TBH, it would be difficult not to be with the amount of coverage that this and AV (Still option 1) has had. People complain endlessly about not being told things but do FA to find out.Then moan and make up conspiracy theories.Input will be much more than on Toilet paper but Andrex would be a nice touch...........see what I did there? Nice touch........Yep, getting it now! The club form a FP (Made up of Fans) Form a Stadium Commitee (Made Up of Fans) Coverage in the media/ press, Stuff on the Internet, Do Surveys through the Trust-What more do you want?
The EXTERIOR Construction has been more or less decided and accoustics have been very much incorporated into that.It's been all over the local media, OS & Forums.Fans in General seem quite up to date to me and, TBH, it would be difficult not to be with the amount of coverage that this and AV (Still option 1) has had. People complain endlessly about not being told things but do FA to find out.Then moan and make up conspiracy theories.Input will be much more than on Toilet paper but Andrex would be a nice touch...........see what I did there? Nice touch........Yep, getting it now! The club form a FP (Made up of Fans) Form a Stadium Commitee (Made Up of Fans) Coverage in the media/ press, Stuff on the Internet, Do Surveys through the Trust-What more do you want?
ITK? You'd have to have a chip on your shoulder and not want to know or be a DFC not to be able to find out
http://www.otib.co.uk/index.php?/topic/152931-ashton-gate-re-design/ Fans appear skoobied. EE lads have tried to find out about it process was never open. paper promised full engagemnet right from the start. Something about all elements important to fans. Seems in house no need to smash the keyboard.
Bristol Boy, thanks for all the posts on this important subject. You obviously know more than anyone on this site about the plans for the rebuilding of Ashton Gate Stadium, so please, if you are able, answer a few questions. What is meant by “sustainability”? A football stadium that will be empty except for maybe two matches (8 hours) per week, including a shop and a small suite of offices occupied by a handful of staff, hardly rates as a place where vast amounts of energy savings or sustainability will be a major concern? Will the Club be forced to put solar panels on the roofs? Not enough sun in UK to warrant it! I’m sure the Club have covered this and has anything that we raised in our email likely to impact on this subject? Have these detailed plans been released? Or are they, at present, only available to the Board? And any others? I am puzzled about the reported capacity of the Rebuilt Ashton Gate at 26,000. Current capacities (approx) are Dolman 7,000, Wedlock 6,000 (actual seats) Atyeo 4,000 & Williams 4,500 which total 21,450 not allowing for segregation. The Dolman and Atyeo capacities will shrink, by about 5% in my estimation, with the additional exits in main body of Dolman and losing the Atyeo seats that back on to the Club Shop. I have not seen any figure for Williams but am assuming it will be around 11,000 as quoted some years ago for a previous rebuild plan. Thus the new Wedlock at 4,700 at 1,300 less than current and only some 17% bigger than the current Atyeo? Or am I missing something? The majority of Not606 posters made this their number one priority so that is why it was included in our email to the Club. It also appears to be a major subject of comment on OTIB. I, personally, believe that atmosphere comes from a combination of team performance, spectator involvement and a historical realisation by supporters that their vocal support can inspire a team to greater heights. Eg. Liverpool last week v Zenit even after they went 0-3 down on aggregate. Because of City’s history of under-performing, most of our crowd unfortunately do not have that belief. Again, as above, where are these plans that you refer to? To the best of my knowledge, just three artists impressions of the outside view of the rebuilt Ashton Gate have been released. If you, Bristol Boy, have seen the plans, you are obviously better informed than the rest of us mere mortals.
