NSC Cross Country Course Feasibility Report and Design Proposal Proposal for the development of a world class cross country course on the National Sports Campus, Blanchardstown, a course unique in character and amenity, providing an exciting challenge for athletes in training and in competition, capable of attracting and hosting national and international competitions, providing all of the requisite facilities for athletes and their support teams, spectators and media covering competitions at the venue. DRAFT REPORT September 2014
NSC Cross Country Course Feasibility Report and Design Proposal 1.0 Introduction Cunnane Stratton Reynolds (CSR) Landscape Architects and Town Planners and Tobin Consulting Engineers were appointed by the National Sports Campus Development Authority to investigate the feasibility of developing a world class cross country training and competition facility in the grounds of Abbotstown House on the National Sports Campus, and to prepare a design proposal for the course. This Report presents the findings of the feasibility study and a proposed course masterplan, to inform costing and ultimately development of the facility. The report contains an analysis of the design principles and technical requirements of a cross country course (Section 2.0), an analysis of the Abbotstown House landscape in terms of its suitability for development of a course (Section 3.0), and a proposed course masterplan (Section 4). Appendix 1 contains a preliminary cost estimate for development of the facility. The Vision Development of a world class cross country course on the National Sports Campus, a course unique in character and amenity and providing an exciting challenge for athletes in training and in competition, capable of attracting and hosting national and international competitions, providing all of the requisite facilities for athletes and their support teams, spectators and media covering major competitions at the venue. 1
2.0 Cross Country Course Design Principles The following course design principles are derived from the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) publication Competition Rules 2014-2015 1 Section IX, and from a number of other sources including advice received from Athletics Ireland. 2.1 The Course The course must be designed on an open or woodland area, covered as far as possible with grass, with natural obstacles which can be used by the course designer to build a challenging and interesting race course. The area must be large enough to accommodate not only the course but also the ancillary facilities for competition days. A loop course must be designed, with the loop measuring between 1750m and 2000m. If necessary a small loop can be added in order to adjust to the required distances of various events. IAAF World Cross-Country Championships Distances Men 12km Junior Men 8km Women 8km Junior Women 6km School and other junior races are usually over a distance of 2.5 or 5km. For training purposes, and for variety when hosting competitions, a cross country facility should ideally provide additional courses or loops (additional to the main competition course) where space permits. Each long loop should have a total ascent of at least 10m. Apart from the start and finish areas, the course should be 5-6m wide, including the obstacle areas. In races where there are large numbers of athletes, narrow gaps or other hindrances which would deny athletes an unhampered run shall be avoided for the first 1500m. Existing natural obstacles shall be used if possible. However, very high obstacles should be avoided, as should deep ditches, dangerous ascents/descents, thick undergrowth and, in general, any obstacle which would constitute a difficulty beyond the aim of the competition (i.e. would not support continuous running). It is preferable that artificial obstacles should not be used. Apart from the start and finish areas, the course must not contain any other long straight. A natural, undulating course with smooth curves and short straights, is the most suitable. 2 1 http://www.iaaf.org/about-iaaf/documents/rules-regulations
The Lavern Gibson course in Terre Haure, Indiana and a newly developed course at Stromlo Forest Park, Canberra, Australia, are among a small number of dedicated cross country facilities worldwide. These have been developed with the objective of attracting major competitions. The crossing of roads or any kind of macadamised surfaces shall be avoided or at least kept to a minimum. When it is impossible to avoid such conditions in one or two areas of the course, the areas must be covered by grass, earth or mats. The course should begin with a starting arc of up to 40m width, narrowing over the length of a 200m straight 2 (minimum, before the first bend) to the loop course width of 5-6m. The course should end with a finishing straight of 200m, leading into a funneled area that keeps athletes in single-file in order of finish. 3 2 International course design advice suggests a starting straight of 400m. The lands available at Abbotstown House do not allow for the provision of a 400m straight and Athletics Ireland advised that a starting straight of 200m is sufficient.
2.2 Ancillary Facilities In addition to the course, a venue catering for major cross country competitions should have a range of spaces set aside for the provision of temporary facilities for runners and teams, race/event officials and the media, and spectators. These include: Runners and Race Facilities/Space Runners and teams parking area (catering for busses). Runners and teams camp: Toilets, showers and changing facilities, medical tent, food and drink stalls, team areas/tents for privacy, shelter from the weather, equipment storage, etc. A warm-up and warm-down area: A field with suitable surface and sufficient space for runners to do stretching, short runs, etc. A pre-start area: An enclosed (temporarily fenced) space behind the starting line for runners to gather before approaching the starting line. A finish area: A space into which runners are channeled from the finish line, before dispersing after a race. Officials and Media Facilities/Space Officials (race/event organisers), sponsors and media parking area (catering for large vehicles) and equipment storage area. Officials and media logistics area: Toilets, office space (tents), equipment storage area, announcer s desk, etc. Camera positions. Spectators Facilities/Space Spectator parking area. Spectator facilities: Toilets, sponsors tents, food and drink stalls, etc. Track-side spectator space (external to the track). Spectator areas internal to the course. 4
3.0 Abbotstown House Landscape Analysis Suitability for a Cross Country Course The lands available for development include a number of large fields to the south west, south and east of Abbotstown House, between the house and the woodland buffer alongside the M50 motorway. These lands were part of the historic Abbotstown Demesne and elements of the designed demesne landscape remain. N Abbotstown House Graveyard West field South field Eastern fields South west field M50 Approximate area available for development of the course 3.1 Opportunities The fields to the west, south west and south of Abbotstown house are undulating, with low hills and sweeping, shallow valleys. Within and around the large fields, currently used for tillage farming, there are patches of woodland and a large number of majestic specimen trees. The topography and vegetation provide framed views of the house, with few detractors to visual amenity. There is an old walled graveyard to the south of the house, containing the ruins of a church and enclosed by mature trees. Two disused and overgrown roads running along ancient townland boundaries converge adjacent to the graveyard, at an old demesne gateway marked by stone pillars. The roads are enclosed on one side by tall, stone demesne walls. 5
Ergrwetgr5rrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr rrr The fields to the south and south west of Abbotstown House are undulating and feature a framework of woodland and a large number of specimen trees. 6 The historic demesne gatepost beside the graveyard, and a view along the old road alongside the demesne wall, now blocked by debris and overgrown.
3.2 Constraints The M50 passing to the south and east of the lands is entirely screened from view by a belt of maturing woodland. However the noise of traffic is constant in its vicinity and it will be required that parts of the course run close to the motorway boundary. Beyond the fields to the east of Abbotstown House the large, unsightly buildings of the Ballycoolin industrial estate are visible. One of the eastern fields is traversed by an overhead power line, supported by a combination of steel and timber pylons. The landform of the eastern fields is relatively flat and there is less enclosing vegetation, resulting in a perception of greater exposure to the surrounding detractors (the industrial estate and the motorway). This area is of lesser value from the perspective of runners, spectators and media. 3.3 Summary The lands to the south west and south of Abbotstown House lend themselves perfectly to the provision of a competition cross country course. The topography, vegetation and built heritage features can be harnessed to create a challenging and exciting course for runners in a landscape of high amenity value for spectators and the media. (The field to the west of the house also has significant potential, but this area is reserved for alternative future development.) It is possible to accommodate a 2km loop in the south west and southern fields, with various options for shorter internal loops to create courses of different length. Concentrating development in this area would avoid use of the more exposed fields to the east, thus limiting the effects of the detracting elements in the environment. Additional loops could be accommodated in the eastern area (and/or in the very attractive western field, even temporarily), possibly forming part of the wider suite of running circuits provided on the NSC. There is sufficient space and existing infrastructure in the vicinity of Abbotstown House (access, parking, services, etc.) to accommodate the ancillary facilities associated with major competitions. In addition to these site attributes the NSC has a wide range of complementary sports facilities that would add value to a cross country facility, and the campus benefits from excellent national and international accessibility. 7
4.0 Proposed Cross Country Course Masterplan A proposed cross country competition course is presented on Plan A overleaf. Plan B on the following page shows the possible spatial arrangement around Abbotstown House of the key of the ancillary facilities required for major race events. The key elements of the course are described in the following pages. (The course could be run clockwise or anticlockwise for training or for lesser events. For major race days it is envisioned that it will be run clockwise. The course sections/features are described in clockwise order.) 8
4.1 Proposed Course Description Start/Finish Area It is proposed to locate the start and finish straights in the field directly to the south of Abbotstown House. The field is spacious enough to accommodate two 200m straights, and these can be aligned so that the house provides a dramatic backdrop for spectators and camera positions. There is sufficient space to accommodate the requisite temporary runners and teams, officials and media facilities in the vicinity of the house, as well as large numbers of spectators in the field itself. This area is accessible by road and close to the other services such as electricity and water available at the house. A camera position and spectator space in the centre of the field would allow views of the start and finish straights with the house as a backdrop, and allow them to turn around to see a section of the loop to the south. Development of this area would require the entire field to be cultivated, and start and finish straights regularly mowed and delineated by temporary fencing for race days. The Upper Field At the end of a 200m straight the course narrows to 6m wide and rounds an existing patch of woodland. At this point runners would disappear from the start/finish camera position and spectators. Rounding the bend the course dips into a shallow valley between the woodland patch and another cluster of mature trees, passing the 500m mark, then curves around a low hill towards the new planted woodland buffer along the M50. A camera position on the low hill would capture the runners emerging from the first bend, racing down the valley and curving into the woodland. It would also capture runners existing the woodland path (see below) further along the course. Development of this section requires cultivation of the course (levelling, grass seeding) and regular mowing of the track, as well as levelling of a buffer area both sides of the track for spectators. M50 Woodland Section It is proposed to clear a path through the established, semi-mature woodland that forms a buffer between the M50 and the Abbotstown House lands. The course through this woodland climbs over the side of a pronounced hill, then descends and curves to meet the old road. This section would be largely hidden from view of fixed camera positions and spectators. It would provide an element of excitement for runners, and anticipation for spectators. The Old Road The course passes through a new gap in the old demesne wall to access the old road running alongside it. The road is enclosed by the wall on one side and the M50 woodland buffer on the other. It runs straight for a distance of approximately 150m towards an old demesne gateway beside the graveyard, where it bends sharply running alongside the graveyard wall. The track then turns out of the old road up a new ramp and out of the woodland buffer to emerge in the south western field. 9 The Old Road section will be a unique cross country course feature, providing heritage interest and atmosphere to the course as well as excitement with the runners being enclosed for a stretch between the demesne wall and the
woods. Revealing and making use of the built heritage features will also improve their condition which is deteriorating as they become increasingly overgrown. Development of this section will require the creation of two new gateways in the demesne walls, and building a ramp out of the sunken roadway up into the south west field. Since the roads are surfaced in coarse old tarmac, it will be necessary to cover them with a layer of sand, which will need to be temporarily replenished to counteract erosion. The Lower Field Emerging from the ramp out of the Old Road the course curves through a sloping field and takes a wide bend around a stand of trees at the far end of the field (it is proposed to supplement these trees with additional woodland planting). It then curves back up the field between two groups of mature trees before a short steep climb past the graveyard towards the woodland path. A camera position and spectator area in the centre of the field would provide a good view of runners emerging from the Old Road and covering the stretch of some 700m through the field. Development of this area would require the track and a spectator buffer either side of the track to be cultivated and regularly mowed. The Woodland Path The course passes by the graveyard (which it is proposed would be cleared of scrub to reveal the enclosing wall, the church ruins and the gravestones) and enters an existing narrow path 100m long between two woodland patches, where the canopies of the trees merge to form a green tunnel. It may be necessary to widen the path by clearing some semi-mature trees on either side to achieve 5-6m width. The Upper Field Emerging from the woodland the course climbs then dips over a hill, then curves up the field towards Abbotstown House before rounding a large woodland patch in the middle of the field to run parallel with the starting straight and then meet the starting straight at the 2km mark. This this completes the main course loop. On the final lap of a race, on exiting the Woodland Path the track diverts from the loop onto the finishing straight which runs straight up the hill to end in front of Abbotstown House. 10
Appendix 1 Development Cost Estimate 11