Eirias Park

Eirias Park (or Parc Eirias) is a 50-acre (20 ha) public park in Colwyn Bay, Conwy County Borough, Wales, sometimes described as "The park by the sea".

Situated within the park is the Colwyn Leisure Centre, whose facilities include a six-lane 25-metre swimming/leisure pool with various water features and a separate water slide. There is also a fitness suite, health suite, sauna, steam room and warm spa pool.^[1] The newly developed Eirias Events Centre, built in 2011, holds conference and classroom facilities for business and commerce events, as well as an indoor pitch, a gym and high performance sports analysis facility.^[2]

Outdoor facilities within the complex, includes a sports stadium, Eirias Stadium, with a grandstand and floodlit synthetic hockey/football playing area. Additional facilities include indoor and outdoor tennis courts, bowling greens, boating lake, children's playground and picnic area.

Eirias Stadium

Eirias Stadium is a rugby union stadium that is part of the outdoor complex of the Eirias Events Centre. The stadium had been used for low key community sporting events, until its redevelopment in 2011, where it now can host international televised events.

The original Stadium pre 2011, had been used for various sporting events. Colwyn Bay F.C. had played on three different grounds at Eirias Park during their history. The Arena was a temporary home during the early 1980s prior to the club's move to their present Llanelian Road home ground. In 2008 the park had been identified by the Welsh Rugby Union (WRU) as a venue for the newly founded rugby union team RGC 1404. The team was initially planning to join the Welsh Premiership, with an eventual goal of becoming the fifth Welsh rugby region, for domestic and European tournaments.^[3][4] In light of this, the park were in need of a number of improvements that reaches international standard and so that it can be officially considered a stadium. In January 2010, the proposed redevelopment was approved by the local council, with work starting later that year.^[5]

The newly developed stadium opened in 2011, featuring a 'Grade A' rugby and football pitch which is to international standard, as well as a 'Grade A' Athletics Track. The stadium now has the potential to host events for up to 15,000 spectators. However its common use for football and rugby, means it normally holds up to 6,080 though the 2,580 capacity grand stand and terracing for a further 3,500.^[6] The installment of floodlights and team changing facilities, means the stadium has the capability to broaden their events to other sporting activities and night time kick offs.

Since the stadiums reopening, they have hosted numerous international events from sport and music. Sporting wise, the stadium is now official home to RGC 1404 and the Wales U20's rugby union team.^[7] The International Rugby Board (IRB) has recognized the standard of the stadium, and in 2012 the stadium was host to a number of Test matches featuring Canada, Russia, Samoa, Tonga and the United States.^[8] In 2013, the IRB again chose Eirias Stadium as a venue to host an International fixture, with Japan winning 40–13 against Russia.^[9]

List of rugby union matches at Eirias Stadium
Date	Country	Score	Country	Use
9 November 2012	United States	40 – 26	Russia	2012 International Rugby Series
9 November 2012	Canada	12 – 42	Samoa
17 November 2012	United States	13 – 22	Tonga
17 November 2012	Canada	35 – 3	Russia
17 November 2013	Russia	13 – 40	Japan	Test match
7 November 2014	Canada	17 – 13	Namibia	Test match

Since 2012, the Stadium sees over 15,000 people at the park for the Access All Eirias Music Festival that takes place every July in Colwyn Bay. This includes singers like Olly Murs, Pixie Lott, Cover Drive, Little Mix and Welsh performers Tom Jones and Rhydian Roberts.^[10][11]

References