well what about the developments popping up in the shannonside ?

Limerick boat club plans thrown a lifeline by councillors (Limerick Leader) 27 January 2009

By Anne Sheridan

CITY councillors have made a near unanimous decision to remove Limerick Boat Club, which dates back to 1870, from the list of protected structures at City Hall last night, paving the way for the development to proceed.

Planners at Limerick City Council were also urging councillors to treat the multi-million plans to rehouse the club favourably.

“I recommend that the City Council approve that a decision to grant permission be made at the Limerick Boat Club site at Wellesley Pier,” stated John Field, director of service, in a letter to councillors last week.

In council correspondence, Mr Field also recommended that the City Council vote in favour of deleting the site from the record of protected structures.

The vote to remove the building was passed by 13 votes to two, with Mayor of Limerick John Gilligan and fellow Independent Cllr Kathleen Leddin opposing the motion.

Independent Cllr Pat Kennedy initially called for both votes to be adjourned for one month to allow for a presentation to City Hall from the joint developers, the Boat Club and Fordmount Developments.

However, following a brief recess councillors decided to take just one motion and deliberate on another aspect to the plans this Friday, January 30.

The €20m plans for the site will be given a final push this Friday morning, when developer Michael Daly will discuss the development. The plans are to include a new state-of-the-art home for Limerick Boat Club, offices, a cafe/bar and restaurant on the upper level overlooking the river.

Three quarters of the 17 city councillors will then have to vote in favour of a material contravention to the City Development Plan to allow commercial uses on a land zoned open space.

Labour Cllr Joe Leddin, a member of Limerick Boat Club, said “if it wasn’t delisted it (the development] would have been dead in the water.” Cllr Leddin said he is optimistic about the outcome of Friday’s meeting, and believes it will be a chance for councillors to address contentious issues, such as the scale and design of the “iconic” glass and steel building.

Mr Daly told this newspaper: “We would have to regard the meeting as very encouraging. It was a very positive step and we are encouraged by it.”

Nineteen submissions were received by City Hall regarding the development, including several objections to the plans. A further seven submissions were received outside the planning time-frame and could not be considered.

Fears over two Limerick city hotels (Limerick Leader)

Trading difficulties for Michael Daly’s (Fordmount) Castletroy Park Hotel / Marriott Hotel

Finally. It completes the block facing onto O’Connell Street in an elegant way, making it one of the most magnificent and architecturally significant blocks of its kind in Ireland.

Initially I was very much against the new limerick rowing club proposal but apon seeing the above images I’ve changed my mind.I cant argue with the proposal as i think it will open the shannon up to the public and will make the river once again feel more inclusive with the city.It looks also as though it can become an iconic building which is something limerick really needs right now.This forum tends to knock almost every new building being propsed for limerick and for a good reason to as many have no architectural merit at all.But in this case i think the critism is harsh juding by it’s enevitable benefits to the city. As a comparison it seems a good decision by our inept councilors for once unlike the tripe opera centre that was given the all clear which will see a further destruction of historical limerick.

@CologneMike wrote:

Dreamstate, very similar developers built Sarsfield (Wellesley) Bridge and the floating dock and they did so for purely commercial reasons. I would even say we lost a lot more heritage because of poverty than due to commercial activity. More importantly we lost a lot of our population since 1856 due economic decline as well!

It really surprises me that Limerick City Council can take the whole Opera block out of the architectural conservation area and get away with it .Now they are removing a building thats on the National Heritage Inventory of Protected structures while everyone sits back and says ‘ its ok because the developments are gonna create employment’……Why not just build on Pery Square altogether? Im sure we could easily get a 40 storey building on one of those derelict old Georgian city blocks that are falling down!!!!!! Interesting also that the only piece of Green area in the background of Mr.Dalys office PR photograph in Riverpoint is the boat club site…I guess we should be thankful that the Hunt Museum green area wasnt clearly visible from his window

The problem with democracy is it allows people like Joe Leddin get elected.

Here we go.

I always knew our highly competent city councillors would do the right thing. Oh no wait, they havent!:rolleyes:

Go ahead for €20 million development of Limerick Boat Club (Live95fm)

The way has been cleared for a 20 million euro redevelopment of Limerick Boat Club.

Limerick City Councillors have voted to rezone Wellesley Pier at a specially convened meeting in City Hall today.

Earlier this week the current Limerick Boat Club structures were de-listed.

The Club President, Dermot Moloney has thanked the councillors for supporting the development which remains subject to certain conditions.

He says the new facilities will be important in revitalising the club`s popularity.

@Dreamstate wrote:

I am so so upset by all this! Just a week ago 5-6 councillors were openly against the ( Boat Club ) scheme ….why the sudden change of mind??? Ladies and Gentlemen , This city is in big trouble and by electing these apes we are all responsible 🙁

I hear that in tribute to this momentous decision, they’re going to put a small sculpture of a brown manila envelope in front of the entrance.

Dreamstate, seriously I have the impression that you seem to have more nostalgic social attachments 😉 to the red brick boat club than heritage concerns of the bridge itself. You seem to resent in general the changing face of the city by labelling developers (accountant) or councillors as crooks.

I may be wrong or at worst naïve but isn’t this “boat club” proposal the result of a “think-tank” get together by a group of individuals (Shannon Development, UL, local Architects etc, etc.) who did a little bit of brain-storming some two years or so ago?

If I remember correctly the aim was to identify projects (iconic or otherwise) that would benefit the city. Therefore, it is my understanding that Michael Daly’s Fordmount is just a private vehicle to make one of them happen now?

Sure they are no “angels” involved in the construction industry but your innuendos that back-handers were needed to force this proposal through the city hall is over the top! Unless of course you know something that we don’t.

Your critic that the proposal is a just commercial, is one where I don’t have a problem with. Best example is the UL’s Concert Hall or Thomond Park both of them have to pay their own keep. This will apply to the proposed Boat Club building too. All three will play their role in bringing visitors (cultural / sport) to the city.

I would agree with you that an opportunity was lost for not organising an architectural competition for the boat club. These developer led proposals don’t cater for that. This shows again to me that our city, run by three local authorities is lacking one “coherent vision” for one city. Thankfully concerned groups involved in that “think-tank” are not content in passively waiting for the Minister of Environment to solve the “three-council” issue but forcing “vision with action” now to fill this void.

I really hope Michael Daly delivers a high quality contemporary building that will complement the fine cut-stone bridge. If he does not deliver, he will experience a very uncomfortable existence in his home town for years to come . . . . . . . .

The Vision of a Revitalised Limerick

Peter Coyne / Edward Walsh

The Fundamental Vision

Arising from the 20 interviews with a selection of leading figures in the wider city area, a uniformity of expression was evident concerning the present state of the city and the fundamental or intuitive vision of its future:

What Urban Limerick Looks Like
• Retail moving out to suburbs – retail values falling;
• Nobody manages the entirety of the city: it’s divided up between 3 competing local authorities;
• Depopulating and looking a bit derelict;
• It’s going nowhere – even though it could be great;
• Little development compared to other cities;
• No joined up thinking – or doing;
• Economy hanging on a shrinking base;
• Three huge concentrations of inner city deprivation;
• City centre dragged down by social and economic imbalance;
• No heart to the city;
• Absence of vibrancy and culture;
• The river could be so much more;
• Hardly any tourism – very little to attract them;
• Business areas abandoned after work;
• The bigger city has no leadership;
• The city is not embraced by the people – they don’t own it;
• Not even a cinema;
• Terrible reputation for crime that’s probably undeserved but these things are self-fulfilling;
• There is no vision

How Urban Limerick Should Look
• A growing city for the region – could be a 250,000 metropolitan population;
• A proper city with ambitious and accountable government with a can-do attitude;
• A honeypot for inward investment – a counterbalance to the overheated east;
• A bustling and exciting waterfront – an iconic heart to the city;
• Vibrancy in the city centre – 18-24 hour city;
• A critical mass of tourist attractions;
• Family-friendly city with the homes and amenities that encourage people with economic choice to live in the city;
• The retail centre for the region;
• The university an inextricable element of the city brand – connecting socially and culturally with the city as well as economically,
• New economic activities – a knowledge industry growth centre – renewed synergies with a growing 3rd and 4th level;
• Excellent transportation infrastructure and interconnectivity with other Atlantic cities – people able to commute between them;
• Docklands and King’s Island new and wonderful mixed use extensions to the city centre;
• Several big civic pride icons – buildings and places to put us on the world stage;
• Citizens taking pride and caring for their city;
• Leadership;
• A city known for arts and culture;
• A city with a vision

€60m conference centre plan rejected

GORDON DEEGAN Mon, Feb 02, 2009

A PROPOSED €60 million conference centre for the midwest has been ruled out by Minister for Tourism Martin Cullen after an independent report questioned its economic benefit.

The report by economic consultants Indecon International, which has been published by Fáilte Ireland, concluded that the benefits of the centre “would be marginal at best”.

The decision not to proceed with the centre is a further blow to the midwest, following the closure last week of one of the region’s best-known hotels, the Castletroy Park Hotel in Limerick, with the loss of 130 jobs.

The study said the level of investment required for the conference centre would not be the best use of resources for the development of tourism in the region.

Other potential projects could represent “better value for money in economic terms,” the consultants found.

Mr Cullen said: “Having examined the report, I agree with its findings.”

The feasibility study was commissioned arising from a commitment in the programme for government in 2007.

It considered three possible locations for a conference centre – all in the Limerick area – and concluded that the centre could attract 6,955 additional tourists to the midwest every year.

In nine separate cost/benefit analysis scenarios, the report found that only three returned a positive net present value for the proposed project.

It evaluated the region’s strengths and weaknesses and stated that “the reliance on budget airlines as principal carriers to Shannon Airport is a disadvantage in terms of attracting corporate tourism and dominance by one airline may constrain new route development with other airlines”.

Limerick Chamber of Commerce chief executive Maria Kelly expressed disappointment with the Minister’s decision and the report’s conclusions.

The chamber has supported the idea of a conference centre for a number of years and she said: “The Limerick–Shannon area is perfectly situated as the mid-point along the Atlantic coast for a conference centre and it also has a large hotel infrastructure to serve.

“The landscape has changed since the report was complete with the return of the ShannonHeathrow service, which gives Shannon access to two international hubs, while the customs and borders protection facility for Shannon has been announced.”

She also argued there was a need for “a little joined-up thinking” in light of those recent developments and called for the proposal to be “looked at again”.

Clare TD Joe Carey (FG) said yesterday: “If we are to take the stated aim of balanced regional development to its natural conclusion, then a state of the art conference facility for the midwest should form part of that strategy.”

© 2009 The Irish Times

Pity that they blew € 83 million on a € 10 million sewerage pipe 😡

@CologneMike wrote:

Pity that they blew € 83 million on a € 10 million sewerage pipe 😡

Id forgotten about that. The amount of money that was squandered on infrastructural projects over the “boom years” due to sheer incompetence is absolutely staggering. Of course back then, the attitude was “ah sure theres plenty more where that came from!”

We could certainly do with a slice of that €83 million now!

Gateway Innovation Fund deferral hits city orbital traffic system

Limerick City Council is looking at other ways to fund the proposed orbital route around Limerick city, following the elimination of funding for the project under the Gateway Innovation Fund.

Corbally residents who showed up for the first consultation meeting on the development of Limerick city last week were told by senior planner Kieran Reeves that funding from the scheme has been reduced to “nil”.

Limerick’s allocation of the €40 million funding expected to be distributed to gateway cities as part of the National Spatial Strategy had not been announced for 2009, but the council had earmarked its allocation for the orbital route.

The official line from Government is that funding from the GIF has been deferred leaving local authorities across the country with no choice but to defer capital infrastructure projects.

The pedestrianisation of O Connell Street was also due to be funded under the scheme but the money is not required until next year.

The pedestrianisation of Bedford Row, Thomas Street and Baker Place was funded by an urban renewal scheme which was replaced by the Gateway Innovation Fund. Officials at City Hall are confident that money will be found elsewhere to fund the orbital route and the project will not be unduly delayed.

Meanwhile, the public has been invited to make submissions on how they would like to see their locality and their city grow and develop at a series of consultation meetings across the city in the coming weeks.

The first meeting took place in Scoil Ide, Corbally. Residents who attended were told that the boundary division in Corbally was a serious issue when making decisions for the area. Decisions by Clare County Council in Corbally, Co Clare impact on any decisions made by the City Council in the Corbally area within the city boundary.

Mayor John Gilligan told the meeting that Limerick city has “three different retail strategies, three different housing strategies.” “Other cities have one, we have three,” he said, in reference to the city, county and Clare county councils.

© Limerick Leader

This is just pathetic really. The City Council announced plans for the upgrading of O Connell Street and William Street as far back as 2001. Yet here we are almost 8 years on and only 2 city centre streets have been completed.

Fair enough, Bedford Row and Thomas Street have been completely transformed but the two principle city centre streets are still thoroughly miserable. I dont think its an exaggeration to say that they are an absolute embarrassment at this stage!:(

Where do the council believe they are going to be able to find the funds needed to finance these projects?