Re: Re: Developments in Cork

And take a look at this from this morning’s Irish Independent:

Council to unravel knitted-map saga

A KNITTED map of Cork, which cost a staggering €259,000 to produce for the city’s Capital of Culture year, may have to be sold to avoid running up massive storage bills.

Cork City Council is to hold a special debate on the 2005 EU Capital of Culture programme, which included the commissioning of the knitted map, a project slated by some as a breathtaking waste of money.

The map is currently in storage.

While the overall programme has been hailed as a tremendous success by city manager Joe Gavin, having generated tourism revenues of more than €90m, there is increasing controversy about the knitted map.

Even the whereabouts of the map is the focus of controversy, with councillors demanding to know precisely where it is stored and how much it is costing.

The project – which was criticised even before the Cork 2005 programme commenced – emerged as one of the single most expensive items during the EU Capital of Culture celebration.

Three years ago, when the knitted map venture was first unveiled amid fanfare by Cork 2005 officials, some presumed the proposal was only a hoax.

But it proceeded to the funding stage. However, the knitted map, which was finally produced, was so large that it was regarded as unsuitable for display in any major public venue.

Privately, sources within the council have admitted that any approach to sell the map would be greeted “with relief”.

We are now well after 1 April!!!