2007 when the application for the stadium was submitted the design and access statement stated
"The architecture of the stadium is very much that of two differing elevations with the south, part east and part west being enclosed and the north, part east and part west being much more open sided."
From the very outset what you see now is the general idea. In fact the current stadium we have is an improvement on the original design. It was initially designed to incorporate a timber and metal fence. There was to be a steel fence with wooden turnstiles which was revised in 2010 and the 4m high brick wall we see today was implemented.
"Where not enclosed by the metal cladding the supporting columns and a bespoke fence system define the boundary of the stadium between the points of entry
into the stadium"
The idea of extra cladding was also submitted to the council and approved back in 2011. The problem is the cladding, which is the only possible structural option is perforated which means its not going to be the best solution in the world. The best coverage you can get is about 50% and the cladding itself is not able to reach the roof so a decent sized gap at the top means that the conditions will not greatly improve.
The key problem is that the actual solution is not worth the expense. The only way to truly solve the issue is the redo the roof, and unless someone has around 10 million to rebuild the stadium then its not going to happen. The club are not going to openly come out and say 'Right we cocked up, just put up with it as its better than KR', they will just continue to have horrendously bad communication with the fans and pray that they will kept coming regardless for the team.
The ground is not going to put me off going, but it does annoy me to think that we had this fantastic opportunity to create a lasting new future for the club and to think they only got 1/4 of the design correct is shocking. I was thinking the other day, I don't know if it would be structurally acceptable, but maybe with fewer changes to the ground could incorporate a similar roof to that seen at Gold Coast Robina Stadium where they use a synthetic roofing which is a 'PTFE coated woven fibre glass fabric'. This would keep the idea of a halo look with a the suspended roof and give the club interesting lighting possibilities against the fabric protection. That's my idea anyway