Editing Cardiff Arms Park (section)

=== North and South Stand redevelopments ===

[[File:Cardiff Arms Park New North Stand.jpg|thumb|left|The 1934 new North Stand, rugby ground, Cardiff Arms Park]]

During 1934 the cricket pavilion had been demolished to make way for the new North Stand<ref name="Cricket ground" /> which was built on the rugby union ground, costing around £20,000.<ref name="Record Office">{{cite web |url=http://www.glamro.gov.uk/check/Building%20of%20a%20Capital%202/A_Leisure.html |publisher=Glamorgan Record Office |title=''Cardiff: the building of a capital'' |access-date=5 May 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121020103532/http://www.glamro.gov.uk/check/Building%20of%20a%20Capital%202/A_Leisure.html |archive-date=20 October 2012 |url-status=dead}}</ref> However, in 1941 the new North Stand and part of the west [[Terrace (stadium)|terracing]] was badly damaged in [[the Blitz]] by the [[Luftwaffe]] during the Second World War.<ref name="Millennium">{{cite web |url=http://www.millenniumstadium.com/3473_3558.php |publisher=Millennium Stadium plc |title=History of the Millennium Stadium-Cardiff Arms Park Site |access-date=29 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071007045937/http://www.millenniumstadium.com/3473_3558.php |archive-date=7 October 2007|url-status=dead}}</ref>

At a general meeting of the WRU in June 1953 they made a decision "That until such time as the facilities at [[St. Helen's Rugby and Cricket Ground|Swansea]] were improved, all international matches be played at Cardiff".<ref name="Development" /> At the same time, plans were made for a new South Stand which was estimated to cost £60,000; the [[Tendering|tender]] price, however, came out at £90,000, so a compromise was made and it was decided to build a new upper South Stand costing £64,000 instead, with the Cardiff Athletic Club contributing £15,000 and the remainder coming from the WRU.<ref name="Development" /> The new South Stand opened in 1956, in time for the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games.<ref name="Millennium" /> This brought the overall capacity of the Arms Park up to 60,000 spectators, of which 12,800 were seated and the remainder standing.<ref name="Stands" /><ref name="Millennium" />

[[File:Clubhouse, Cardiff Athletic Club.jpg|thumb|left|Cardiff Athletic Club]]

The Arms Park hosted the 1958 British Empire and Commonwealth Games, which was used for the athletics events, but this event caused damage to the drainage system, so much so, that other rugby unions ([[Rugby Football Union|England]], [[Scottish Rugby Union|Scotland]] and [[Irish Rugby Football Union|Ireland]]) complained after the Games about the state of the pitch.<ref name="Development" /> On 4 December 1960, due to torrential rain, the [[River Taff]] burst its banks with the Arms Park pitch being left under {{convert|4|ft|m}} of water.<ref name="Cardiff Time" /> The Development Committee was set up to resolve these issues on a permanent basis. They looked at various sites in Cardiff, but they all proved to be unsatisfactory.<ref name="Development" /> They also could not agree a solution with the Cardiff Athletic Club, so they purchased about {{convert|80|acre|m2}} of land at Island Farm in [[Bridgend]],<ref name="Development" /> which was previously used as a [[prisoner-of-war camp]]. It is best known for being the camp where the biggest escape attempt was made by German [[Prisoner of war|prisoners of war]] in Great Britain during the Second World War.<ref name="Island">{{cite web |url=http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/ |publisher=islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/ |title=Island Farm, Prisoner of War Camp: 198 / Special Camp: XI |access-date=15 August 2007 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070819152744/http://www.islandfarm.fsnet.co.uk/ |archive-date=19 August 2007}}</ref> Due to problems including transport issues [[Glamorgan County Council]] never gave outline planning permission for the proposals and by June 1964 the scheme was abandoned.<ref name="Development" /> At that stage, the cricket ground to the north was still being used by [[Glamorgan County Cricket Club]], and the rugby union ground to the south was used by the national Wales team and Cardiff RFC.<ref name="CAP1">{{cite news|url=https://www.cardiffrugby.wales/cardiff-arms-park|website=cardiffrugby.wales|title=Arms Park|access-date=22 April 2024|archive-date=21 April 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240421213257/https://www.cardiffrugby.wales/cardiff-arms-park|url-status=live}}</ref>

By 7 October 1966, the first floodlit game was held at Cardiff Arms Park, a game in which Cardiff RFC beat [[Barbarian F.C.|the Barbarians]] by 12 points to 8.<ref name="Cardiff Time">{{cite web|url=http://pirate.cardiffschools.net/cons.htm|publisher=Cardiff Council|title=Cardiff Timeline|access-date=29 April 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080305021030/http://pirate.cardiffschools.net/cons.htm|archive-date=5 March 2008|url-status=dead}}</ref>