Dublin Historic Stone Paving disbelief
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Because cellars are in use below ground? Meaning street has never been excavated. Also the granite is more hardwearing with kegs slamming into it than the humble concrete slab.
On the otherhand…it could also be due to an appreciation of heritage on the part of pub owners. In the same way that they manage to maintain their historic frontages and fixtures (for the most part)
Another repaving horror show on Earlsfort Terrace to the front of the National Concert Hall. Old granite paving relaid in the most awful fashion with cement grouting as wide as your arm. I will post some images shortly.
It seems any criticism of Dublin City Council’s corporate attitude to the maintenance of historic (or any) paving in the city is (as usual) entirely misplaced.
From the City Council’s website in response to recent An Taisce comments:
Media Release Tuesday 13th August 2013: Use of Granite in the Maintenance and Repair of Footpaths
I reference to the article in today’s Irish Times “Dublin’s historic footpaths being destroyed by cheap granite” and would like to mention that this particular item was discussed at a recent Dublin City Council Strategic Policy Meeting.
Dublin City Council Roads and Traffic Department are committed, to the reuse of antique paving, and where possible to the use of Leinster Granite for the maintenance of areas of antique granite. Granite that has been returned to Dublin City Council is reused if in good condition but approximately 10% is lost through lifting and relaying and general wear and tear. When sourcing granite for paving maintenance and repair, Dublin City Council must adhere to the Department of Finance Procurement guidelines, and it is only recently that Leinster granite became available and at competitive prices.
Every effort is made to fuse the existing and new paving thereby avoiding a conspicuous disruption to the continuity of Dublin footpaths. However, because of a shortage of indigenous stone, repairs have been carried out using other materials or stone. The entire practice in relation maintenance and repair of antique granite pavements is being assessed in the context of the Public Realm Strategy. A mapping exercise showing the areas ofantique paving to be maintained has been done by the Heritage Office. When both of these exercises are complete a policy manual will be brought before the City Council for adoption. That policy will then apply going forward and a decision will also be made on how to deal with the existing situation. I hope this brings clarity to the situation regarding the use granite on our footpaths.
ENDS
Approx 10% is lost “through lifting and relaying and general wear and tear” …so how long before we lose it all then?
Oh goody! Another policy manual to stick on the shelf and gather dust with all the other AAPs, LAPs, Public Realm Strategies, City Development Plans, etc, etc.
It’s the Department of Finance’s fault that Dublin’s historic paving is in absolute shambles, nothing to do with DCC at all, no. :thumbup:
Historic paving disbelief in Lower Gardiner Street !!
On Thursday last week some DCC operatives replaced the granite surrounds to two coal hole covers. Admittedly the granite was very badly broken up. Whats been put back however is quite tragic.
The hole in the centre of each granite slab was obviously the wrong size- so its been “adjusted” using an angle grinder (chop marks clearly visible). The old cast iron cover is then held in place using an inch wide band of silicon. Not an original method as far as I can remember. The silicon appears to be leaching into the granite.
It would have been better not to bother.
I wonder if this stunning detail will appear in the soon to be published DCC historic paving manual ?
Perhaps you should send it to Siobhan Maher of the Public Realm team for use as the front cover :shifty:
We should promote a national paving day where we ask people to photograph incidents of this in Dublin
And this happening in the context of a THIRD historic street surfaces study shortly due for release!
So the reports continue on their merry way while the rest of us can go back to sleep………….zzzzzzzzz……..
Saturday.
Stunning stretch of original historic granite paving and curbstones outside St. Saviour’s Church on Dominick Street are in the process of being RIPPED UP and paletted as part of Luas BXD works. This despite the Railway Order showing the pavement actually WIDENED in this area. The Development Plan lists this stretch of pavement as: “To be retained or restored and included in the City Council’s Programme for Restoration”.
I presume this vandalism facilitates the road being temporarily widened to allow a chunk of the street be closed for the track to be installed. So this paving, much of which appears to be completely untouched since the day it was laid 150 years ago, is effectively being demolished because RPA can’t work out the phasing of their works properly?
Am I wrong in thinking this paving is PROTECTED?
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