Re: Training ground : Wed Jan 06, 2016 4:46 pm  

Part of the facility at Kirkstall is still usable, as there was an exercise class in the gym today. All the weights have been stripped out though as they need replacing and there's no chance of doing any field work because the pitches are ruined.

Interesting to hear GH talking on Look North about the possibility of the club giving up on staying at Kirkstall if a flood defence solution can't be sorted out. No point taking the insurance payout and spending it on refurbing the place if it's only going to happen again in a couple of years, not to mention the premiums will go through the roof.

Got me thinking about alternative locations, and I was struggling to come up with anywhere within the outer ring road. Nearest I could think of to Headingley might have been the sports fields the university currently use behind Weetwood police station?

Re: Training ground : Wed Jan 06, 2016 10:46 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Part of the facility at Kirkstall is still usable, as there was an exercise class in the gym today. All the weights have been stripped out though as they need replacing and there's no chance of doing any field work because the pitches are ruined.

Interesting to hear GH talking on Look North about the possibility of the club giving up on staying at Kirkstall if a flood defence solution can't be sorted out. No point taking the insurance payout and spending it on refurbing the place if it's only going to happen again in a couple of years, not to mention the premiums will go through the roof.

Got me thinking about alternative locations, and I was struggling to come up with anywhere within the outer ring road. Nearest I could think of to Headingley might have been the sports fields the university currently use behind Weetwood police station?

Wonder if they may look further afield as Lufc did with Thorp Arch. Perhaps they could seek to link up with a leading amateur club such as stanningley or oulton and invest in top class facilities and build a centre of excellence? Most amateur clubs have facilities and land miles behind similar RU clubs in size.

Re: Training ground : Thu Jan 07, 2016 12:12 pm  

Andy Gilder wrote:

Got me thinking about alternative locations, and I was struggling to come up with anywhere within the outer ring road. Nearest I could think of to Headingley might have been the sports fields the university currently use behind Weetwood police station?

The University own all that land. If the trolley bus ever happens a park & ride will go on there which would mean a major upgrade on the Lawnswood site over the road. There would be great potential for joint working on that land.

Re: Training ground : Sat Jan 09, 2016 1:14 pm  

Now obviously I don't know Leeds as well as you guys, but are there any smallish stadia that the club could buy and turn into a Training Centre/Ground for Reserves/Junior sides, akin to what Wigan have done at Orrell?

Re: Training ground : Sat Jan 09, 2016 1:25 pm  

CM Punk wrote:

Now obviously I don't know Leeds as well as you guys, but are there any smallish stadia that the club could buy and turn into a Training Centre/Ground for Reserves/Junior sides, akin to what Wigan have done at Orrell?

there are one or two like Stanningley,but wether it is feasible I don't know

Re: Training ground : Sat Jan 09, 2016 2:14 pm  

CM Punk wrote:

Now obviously I don't know Leeds as well as you guys, but are there any smallish stadia that the club could buy and turn into a Training Centre/Ground for Reserves/Junior sides, akin to what Wigan have done at Orrell?

That's exactly what Kirkstall is though, it's probably the most expensively assembled rugby training centre in the country. Unfortunately it lies right next to a river which
in all likelihood will have increasing flooding issues as the years go by. It would be a huge, almost inconceivable, move to feel obliged to give all that up - and there would be nowhere anywhere near as close to Headingley that could be found to replace it.

In its previous guise, apart from going to a couple of social functions in what was then the clubhouse but is now the main academy building, I remember watching Leeds play Bramley there in 1994 or 1995.

Re: Training ground : Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:26 am  

The Ghost of '99 wrote:

That's exactly what Kirkstall is though, it's probably the most expensively assembled rugby training centre in the country. Unfortunately it lies right next to a river which
in all likelihood will have increasing flooding issues as the years go by. It would be a huge, almost inconceivable, move to feel obliged to give all that up - and there would be nowhere anywhere near as close to Headingley that could be found to replace it.

In its previous guise, apart from going to a couple of social functions in what was then the clubhouse but is now the main academy building, I remember watching Leeds play Bramley there in 1994 or 1995.

Was 95

Game was played in quarters if I remember right

Re: Training ground : Tue Jan 26, 2016 5:49 pm  

6 months and £1m before we get our training ground back...... http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/35412241

6 months and £1m before we get our training ground back...... http://m.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-league/35412241

[Bullseye]

Re: Training ground : Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:38 pm  

I’m sure the buildings can all be made flood proof. It’ll cost a bit but it would guard against future floods and also make it easier to get insurance.

You could also have a few business continuity plans so that you have things in place when the flood alerts are issued. This isn’t rocket science.

The pitches are another matter. Putting in flood defences would require heaps of cash that neither the club or the local authority have. There are also other sites in Leeds that are higher up the list for flood defences I reckon.

Long term a site that’s not on a flood plain but that is easily accessed by road is what is needed. Does it really need to be near Headingley?

Re: Training ground : Wed Jan 27, 2016 12:48 pm  

You would have thought that either of the two universities would have potential for joint/partnership working to provide an alternative well above the flood plain.