Royal Elm Park

[glass half full]

Reading desperately needs a decent swimming pool. How many talented and ambitious swimmers have to go to places like Southampton for suitable facilities?

[Nameless]

They've clearly not even thought about this have they !
Where do you get the figure of 'twice a week' for the usage ?
I'm sure places like the NEC, Edexel etc get a bit more than that.

[Green]

I'm sure they do. Not sure how useful that is a comparison to what you're pitching though - which by the sounds of it wouldn't even be a Telford International arena.

My original point was merely that from a pure returns point of view this not may be the best option - however it may be vital to get planning permission.

[Nameless]

I'm not sure picking individual elements is that useful either. The thing is a package - they aren't just plonking an ice rink on the site they're putting in space that can be used flexibly so they can maximise usage. You are right, there is no way they would get planning permission to just stack hundreds of flats on the site (in addition to the hundreds already included).
You have to assume that they have done their research and worked out the best combination of uses. Personally I have no interest in an ice rink and am not really convinced it's something the great Reading Public is crying out for. I'd probably have gone for a proper theatre, an arty cinema, works spaces for artists etc and made it a bit of a different location but doubt that would be a money spinner.

[Coppelled_Streets]

(more) flats and retail space would probably maximise return.

I'm all for the ice rink but it's hardly a get rich quick scheme. Even with the exorbitant fees these places charge for skate hire.

Indeed, but it is a regular income stream which is what the new owners want and said the football club needs, otherwise in a few years we would be looking for new owners again. Investing in retail/flats wont bring in a great deal of rent in comparison to a leisure facility that will get a lot of use. I think it's win-win for the town and for the club, but yes there may be better options to maximise income; however it's not so easy to identify what.

[Green]

Regular income stream?

10 rinks have closed in the last decade.

Over the last 10 years we've probably lost 10 rinks and only two have been replaced, with the new facilities at Nottingham and Sheffield," Keith Horton, the NISA's general secretary, said. "Nottingham and Sheffield are fabulous ice centres, but cutting down from 70 to 60 ice rinks inevitably has its effect on the sport.

The lofty days of Torvill and Dean are long gone pal.

[No Fixed Abode]

At least Focher can refer to it as Royal Helm Park.

[Sutekh]

Reading desperately needs a decent swimming pool. How many talented and ambitious swimmers have to go to places like Southampton for suitable facilities?

I thought Bracknell had the "swimming pool" for the area. Mind you like everything else in Bracknell it probably hasn't been state of the art since 1967

[Norfolk Royal]

At the ice rink in Norwich I noticed that there was a big chocolate fountain operating for people to buy what I assumed was liquid chocolate having skated around in the cold for half an hour or so.

I certainly think this is worth considering to maximise income which could then be paid to the football club.

[No Fixed Abode]

Reading desperately needs a decent swimming pool. How many talented and ambitious swimmers have to go to places like Southampton for suitable facilities?

RBC had the chance to build a decent swimming pool when Rivermead was built. We ended up with a 'fun' pool and a shit one at that. Typical RBC.

[No Fixed Abode]

Of all the things the land could have been used for.... a fcuking ice rink

Why not? The town could have their own Ice Hockey team and kids will love it.

[Sutekh]

Of all the things the land could have been used for.... a fcuking ice rink

Why not? The town could have their own Ice Hockey team and kids will love it.

Plus we could have events like.....



.......... oh well, perhaps it's not such a good idea then

[SCIAG]

Reading desperately needs a decent swimming pool. How many talented and ambitious swimmers have to go to places like Southampton for suitable facilities?

RBC had the chance to build a decent swimming pool when Rivermead was built. We ended up with a 'fun' pool and a shit one at that. Typical RBC.

That slide is worth more than an Olympic pool.

[Astros]

Surely the only consideration is bring speedway and the dogs back to Reading traditional local sports that have put the town on the sporting map over the years along side the footie.

[Dick Habbin's hairdo]

Surely the only consideration is bring speedway and the dogs back to Reading traditional local sports that have put the town on the sporting map over the years along side the footie.

Oh, for the heady, halcyon days of Anders Michanek and Reading Racers.

[3points]

Surely the only consideration is bring speedway and the dogs back to Reading traditional local sports that have put the town on the sporting map over the years along side the footie.

Oh, for the heady, halcyon days of Anders Michanek and Reading Racers.

I'll see your Anders Michanek and raise you a Per Jonsson

[Astros]

Great riders and happy memories and that is without mentioning Dave Jessup, John Davis , Jan Anderson, British league titles and cups come on Thais bring back the Racers.

[semtex1871]

Great riders and happy memories and that is without mentioning Dave Jessup, John Davis , Jan Anderson, British league titles and cups come on Thais bring back the Lacers.

[WoodleyRoyal]

Great riders and happy memories and that is without mentioning Dave Jessup, John Davis , Jan Anderson, British league titles and cups come on Thais bring back the Racers.

how could you possibly forget the great armando castagna

[Sutekh]

Website for the proposal here

http://royalelmpark.com

ALL the current car park and dome space will be replaced with the proposed Convention/Concert/Event centre, housing, multi-storey parking.

If planning permission granted then work could begin in 2016 with the first part (Convention/Concert/Event centre) being ready in 2018.

Housing to be phased in by 2021



Personally I cannot see why there would be any objection to this from anyone. Park and Ride could still operate from the multi-storey. Only possible objection might be from the council on the additional housing and therefore the infrastructure that would be needed to support it.