Extract from interview with Cllr. Cormac Devlin (Fianna Fail) representing Dun Laoghaire ward.
Me (Shane Scally): Do you think this (Dun Laoghaire) baths reflects very badly on local government?
Cormac Devlin: Well, it would reflect badly if they were no discussion about it or it fell off the agenda and by no means is it off the agenda? I, myself, have put down motions constantly asking management for an update.
Extract from interview with Senator Eugene Regan (Fine Gael) a former councillor (r.2004-2007) representing Dun Laoghaire ward.
Me (Shane Scally): The fact that it (Dun Laoghaire baths) has remained closed for this long (20 years) reflects a failure of local government?
Eugene Regan: There is no doubt it is the one big failure of the county council in Dun Laoghaire? You have a similar situation in other areas.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
•3) The more cynical view would maintain that the baths area represents merely political ineptitude and lack of finance. As of last Friday (the 18th of April 2008) the local council voted to increase their bank overdraft to €7 million, this combined with tightening national finances probably means that the current plan budgeted at €420 million (€120 million for the Dun Laoghaire will not the see the light of day.
•In my opinion, I would take the view outlined in the first option.
•In my opinion, I would take the view outlined in the first option.
•2) The baths area symbolises the ruins of modernity already prevalent in other western countries.
•Dun Laoghaire is one of the few areas in Ireland not to have experienced demographic growth. The last census recorded a slight decrease in population
•In Dun Laoghaire town currently there are 30 shops out of 240 empty and another 16 for let or sale.
•With some parts of the town decayed the baths can symbolise the ruins of modernity in Celtic Tiger Ireland.
The Symbolism of Dun Laoghaire Baths
•There are a few different meanings that can be drawn from the decayed remains of Dun Laoghaire.
•1) (Illustrated to the left are the former bathing areas.) It was closed down in the 1980s in stages, it many ways for the local (older) residents. The 1980s was a time of emigration, political instability and economic decline. The baths located near the ferry terminal (where emigrants left from) is an untimely reminder of an era in Irish life and history that they would rather not remember.
Sunday, March 9, 2008
Sources
•http://www.dlrcoco.ie/
•http://www.ifsconline.ie/
•www.ddda.ie
Councillor Cormac Devlin and Senator Eugene Regan
My own photos
•http://www.ifsconline.ie/
•www.ddda.ie
Councillor Cormac Devlin and Senator Eugene Regan
My own photos
Concluding Remarks
•The IFSC had political support and no one has been able to exploit it for electoral gain and thus the government of the day was able to come up with the money.
•Dun Laoghaire baths did have political support but that was withdrawn at the first sign of major protests and also for financial reasons.
•However the council outdid itself, it keeps the front entrance to the baths in good repair even if it is locked, therefore when a public appeal for support was sent out in a May 2005 press release, it fell on deaf ears, style very much outdid substance.
•Dun Laoghaire baths did have political support but that was withdrawn at the first sign of major protests and also for financial reasons.
•However the council outdid itself, it keeps the front entrance to the baths in good repair even if it is locked, therefore when a public appeal for support was sent out in a May 2005 press release, it fell on deaf ears, style very much outdid substance.
•On the day of the council vote in June 2005, with no money and significant public protests, the plans were rejected.
•The site remains derelict and Richard Boyd Barrett , using his improved profile, was able to use the issue to run a election campaign and nearly succeeding in the 2007 general election.
•“The design objectives that the in-house team set out to fulfil include access for all users, linkage of the East Pier with Newtownsmith and Sandycove and the People’s Park, new public spaces for cultural and seasonal events, an enhanced habitat for seaside birds and wildlife, opportunities for children’s play, safe secure recreation for all users and a high quality, showpiece coastal garden. In this they have succeeded admirably”, concludes Niamh Breathnach.
•The coastal walking route from Sandycove to the East Pier will include three sea water bathing points for swimmers, adding to the existing swimming facilities at Sandycove beach. The walking route will be added to the Sandycove to Sutton campaign for a walkway to be available right along the coast between the two locations.
•The concept has been presented to Councillors who will have a further opportunity to consider same over the coming weeks.
•The coastal walking route from Sandycove to the East Pier will include three sea water bathing points for swimmers, adding to the existing swimming facilities at Sandycove beach. The walking route will be added to the Sandycove to Sutton campaign for a walkway to be available right along the coast between the two locations.
•The concept has been presented to Councillors who will have a further opportunity to consider same over the coming weeks.
•The concept as presented to the Elected Members envisages an indoor swimming / leisure complex with
•25 meter pool and seaweed baths
•An indoor wave pool with sandy beach
•Kiddies paddling pool
•Slides/flumes with associated pools
•Sauna and keep fit facilities
•Spa/Therapy Rooms
•Terrraces with coffee bars and restaurants.
•The Civic Space / plaza, would be protected from the prevailing north/east aspect of the site by the apartments, whole inhabitants will provide 24 hour “eyes and ears” security to those using the spaces, which are suitable for ice-skating in winter and roller skating or outdoor concerts in summer.
•The High Quality Maritime garden will be developed on the current physically inaccessible site between the baths and the East Pier where the steep gradients and poor aspect present hazards to public safety and provides opportunities for anti-social behaviour. This area will be transformed into a high quality Maritime garden, to complement the planned gardens of the People’s Park.
•25 meter pool and seaweed baths
•An indoor wave pool with sandy beach
•Kiddies paddling pool
•Slides/flumes with associated pools
•Sauna and keep fit facilities
•Spa/Therapy Rooms
•Terrraces with coffee bars and restaurants.
•The Civic Space / plaza, would be protected from the prevailing north/east aspect of the site by the apartments, whole inhabitants will provide 24 hour “eyes and ears” security to those using the spaces, which are suitable for ice-skating in winter and roller skating or outdoor concerts in summer.
•The High Quality Maritime garden will be developed on the current physically inaccessible site between the baths and the East Pier where the steep gradients and poor aspect present hazards to public safety and provides opportunities for anti-social behaviour. This area will be transformed into a high quality Maritime garden, to complement the planned gardens of the People’s Park.
•“This plan has the potential to revitalise Dún Laoghaire and it meets everyone’s wish to replace the current derelict site with top quality recreational facilities that will be open to all,” says Niamh Breathnach, Cathaoirleach, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council. “The scheme is without doubt, the most ambitious leisure and recreational amenity ever undertaken by a local authority. Developed by a team of in-house architects, planners and parks personnel, it presents a once in a lifetime opportunity to give Dún Laoghaire what it deserves; leisure and recreational amenities that would make the area a destination for locals and visitors alike.”
Style over Substance
•DÚN LAOGHAIRE-RATHDOWN COUNTY COUNCIL PROPOSES €140 MILLION REDEVELOPMENT OF THE DÚN LAOGHAIRE BATHS SITE
•Wednesday, 13th April 2005: Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council proposed to its Elected Members that the local authority should undertake a €140 million redevelopment of the Dún Laoghaire Baths site.
•The core of the proposal was an international standard Waterworld and indoor leisure complex which includes a 25 metre pool and extensive leisure and sports facilities; new civic plazas, suitable for ice-skating in winter and outdoor concerts in summer; the existing inaccessible foreshore between the derelict baths site and the East pier would be transformed into a new public Maritime Garden, as large as the nearby People’s Park and a new 400 m. coastal promenade which could continue uninterrupted between Sandycove and the East Pier.
•The new amenities would be sheltered from the prevailing north/east aspect of the site by 180 apartments, shops and restaurants, underground parking and a 10-storey elegant glass tower “lighthouse” at the Sandycove end of the site, with a public viewing area at the top.
•Wednesday, 13th April 2005: Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council proposed to its Elected Members that the local authority should undertake a €140 million redevelopment of the Dún Laoghaire Baths site.
•The core of the proposal was an international standard Waterworld and indoor leisure complex which includes a 25 metre pool and extensive leisure and sports facilities; new civic plazas, suitable for ice-skating in winter and outdoor concerts in summer; the existing inaccessible foreshore between the derelict baths site and the East pier would be transformed into a new public Maritime Garden, as large as the nearby People’s Park and a new 400 m. coastal promenade which could continue uninterrupted between Sandycove and the East Pier.
•The new amenities would be sheltered from the prevailing north/east aspect of the site by 180 apartments, shops and restaurants, underground parking and a 10-storey elegant glass tower “lighthouse” at the Sandycove end of the site, with a public viewing area at the top.
Dun Laoghaire Baths
•If the IFSC is a model of forward planning than Dun Laoghaire Baths is not.
•There are three major public baths at Clontarf, Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock.
•Each of the public baths was fed by sea water but was closed down mainly due to poor water quality. However in the last five to six years, the water quality has significantly improved but by then the baths were now derelict and all needed to be completely renovated or re-built before being re-opened.
•There are three major public baths at Clontarf, Dun Laoghaire and Blackrock.
•Each of the public baths was fed by sea water but was closed down mainly due to poor water quality. However in the last five to six years, the water quality has significantly improved but by then the baths were now derelict and all needed to be completely renovated or re-built before being re-opened.
•In 1987, the International Financial Services Centre (IFSC) was created.
•The program proved to be hugely successful and by 1999, 11,000 people were employed there making a contribution of £1 billion Irish punts to the exchequer.
•In total, there are almost 450 international financial institutions and about 700 managed entities there that conduct business.
•The program proved to be hugely successful and by 1999, 11,000 people were employed there making a contribution of £1 billion Irish punts to the exchequer.
•In total, there are almost 450 international financial institutions and about 700 managed entities there that conduct business.
Wednesday, February 6, 2008
Regeneration and the ruins of modernity in Celtic Tiger Ireland
Through architectural and public policy research, i intend to illustrate how property developers in Ireland have adopted US-style methods of property development, particularly in the field of apartment schemes in Dublin. Through the prism of research, both statistical and visual, the blog will identify the overriding features of the rise of apartment complexes in Dublin's city centre and how much US influences affected Irish property developers. This work will be socio-economic, architectural and political in nature. Finally this work will seek to determine the long-term affects this will have upon Ireland. Finally i will examine the ruins of modernity in Celtic Tiger Ireland, a feature already present in other western countries. In my examples, i will use the current developments (proposed as well) in Dublin Docklands and Dun Laoghaire to illustrate American and International influences upon Irish property development.
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