Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

Market square safe...for now...

Options
  • 28-05-2008 7:19pm
    #1
    Wertz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,909 ✭✭✭✭


    So it looks like some of the councillors for Dundalk have some sense after all. The proposal to sell a 999yr lease of Dundalk's town centre to private developers...sorry a PPP was voted down last night. I for one am quite happy about that, and rather disappointed that somone like Cllr Mark Deary would have been supporting such a move (sorry Mark, you'll get no more votes from me, but you can blame Gormley for that tbh)...
    Anyone that lives in the town knows that the square has it's problems and isn't the most pleasant place to be in the early hours of the weekend, but to turn around and sell on such an area so that they can stick a faceless 5 storey affair to fill with soul-less shops and offices is so short sighted it hurts.
    It does beg the question though of what should be done with the square, with an eye to preserving it, as much out of historical and cultural reasons as any other, but mostly because it partly defines what Dundalk is; a market town.
    What would you do with it? Should the council have gone ahead with proposals? Have you ever taken a dip in the fountain?


Comments

  • Options
    #2
    indiewindy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,425 ✭✭✭indiewindy


    Get rid of the fountain, it looks so bad, plant some trees and make it look like the demense


  • Options
    #3
    Wertz
    Closed Accounts Posts: 11,909 ✭✭✭✭Wertz


    Yup the fountain is a show really, especially when some comedian dumps a box of washing powder into it.


  • Options
    #4
    miceal
    Closed Accounts Posts: 361 ✭✭miceal


    The fountain was on at 1am one morning when i was going to the atm what a waste of money!


  • Options
    #5
    tIS hImSelF
    Registered Users Posts: 32 ✭tIS hImSelF


    Wertz wrote: »
    So it looks like some of the councillors for Dundalk have some sense after all. The proposal to sell a 999yr lease of Dundalk's town centre to private developers...sorry a PPP was voted down last night. I for one am quite happy about that, and rather disappointed that somone like Cllr Mark Deary would have been supporting such a move (sorry Mark, you'll get no more votes from me, but you can blame Gormley for that tbh)...
    Anyone that lives in the town knows that the square has it's problems and isn't the most pleasant place to be in the early hours of the weekend, but to turn around and sell on such an area so that they can stick a faceless 5 storey affair to fill with soul-less shops and offices is so short sighted it hurts.
    It does beg the question though of what should be done with the square, with an eye to preserving it, as much out of historical and cultural reasons as any other, but mostly because it partly defines what Dundalk is; a market town.
    What would you do with it? Should the council have gone ahead with proposals? Have you ever taken a dip in the fountain?

    I am all for the redevelopment of the Market Square, but was delighted to see this plan being knocked on the head. The company that won the bid taught only of profit and not the people of the town. I was extremly disapointed to see Cllr Deary support this developement.

    We are aware that the council does not have the funds to redevelop the area so why can't the council and a private developer work together in Developing the Square. Design an area that the people of Dundalk can enjoy and the developer to make a bit of money out of (without resorting to building a 5/6 story block). Something needs to be done as soon as possible as Dundalk over the past year is slowly moving towards a ghost town. Take a walk from the Dundalk Shopping Centre down as far as Byrnes Chemist at the top of Yorke Street and count the number of For Sale/Lease signs on buildings. No body wants to open a buiness in Dundalk centre anymore, they would much rather be over in the Marshes.

    The best option to bring life back to the own centre and attract the high street brands would be for the council to lower its rates for comercial premises (especially in areas of high neglect) But first lets make it an attractive place to come to.....redevelop the Square.


  • Options
    #6
    RONOC08
    Closed Accounts Posts: 47 ✭RONOC08


    tIS hImSelF wrote: »
    I am all for the redevelopment of the Market Square, but was delighted to see this plan being knocked on the head. The company that won the bid taught only of profit and not the people of the town. I was extremly disapointed to see Cllr Deary support this developement.

    We are aware that the council does not have the funds to redevelop the area so why can't the council and a private developer work together in Developing the Square. Design an area that the people of Dundalk can enjoy and the developer to make a bit of money out of (without resorting to building a 5/6 story block). Something needs to be done as soon as possible as Dundalk over the past year is slowly moving towards a ghost town. Take a walk from the Dundalk Shopping Centre down as far as Byrnes Chemist at the top of Yorke Street and count the number of For Sale/Lease signs on buildings. No body wants to open a buiness in Dundalk centre anymore, they would much rather be over in the Marshes.

    The best option to bring life back to the own centre and attract the high street brands would be for the council to lower its rates for comercial premises (especially in areas of high neglect) But first lets make it an attractive place to come to.....redevelop the Square.


    Well said something has to be done


  • Advertisement
Advertisement