John Street

Only one Keano

With all the public squares planned for John Street - the parade, Canal square (beside John St bridge) and the square & library in front of the county council offices, wouldn't you think the council wouldf try and upgrade John Street?
Sure it would be a waste of time spending all of taxpayers money on thses nice squares if John Street is still a pedestran nightmare :mad:

djScarey

Whatever happened to the Inner Relief road planned about 25 years ago and promised via Dean Street? That could open a door to eventually pedestrianise John Street, especially that squeezy section between Langtons and Johns Bridge.

jiggajt

That inner relief road is a bad idea. It would involve building a big modern unsitely bridge in the middle of a medieveil city. Why not just complete the so called "ring" Road. I also believe there is stope for making johns street one way for the section starting at the bridge and finishing by bollards. That would allow a widening of the footpath.

Mackman

The inner releif road is going ahead as part of the re-development of the brewery site as far as i know, its still in the feasability stage so it will be a long time comin yet, a one way on john st. is a good idea, i dont think pedestrianising it completely is a good idea cause there isnt a whole lot of shops for people to stroll down too, pedestrianising High street is a much better idea

Threadhead

If they could pedestrianise High Street, Rose Inn Street, John Street and the Parade it would do wonders for Kilkenny's medieval image. It'd really be on a par with similar places on the continent, like Siena in Italy, which redirects all traffic away from its central medieval core.

But then again, there's the problem of that Inner Relief Road. Undoubtedly, there needs to be something done but it's a horrible idea driving it through the one part of Kilkenny City that is a tourist hotspot, full of medieval charm and undoubtedly going to get better with the Brewery development in the coming years.

mydogjack

one-way system similar to other small towns. would definately help.

Purry Cat

Threadhead wrote: »

If they could pedestrianise High Street, Rose Inn Street, John Street and the Parade it would do wonders for Kilkenny's medieval image. It'd really be on a par with similar places on the continent, like Siena in Italy, which redirects all traffic away from its central medieval core.

But then again, there's the problem of that Inner Relief Road. Undoubtedly, there needs to be something done but it's a horrible idea driving it through the one part of Kilkenny City that is a tourist hotspot, full of medieval charm and undoubtedly going to get better with the Brewery development in the coming years.

What "brewery development"?

Threadhead

There's plans afoot to develop the site of the Brewery when it closes in 2012.

What exactly this will entail isn't yet known or decided but Diageo have said that they won't let the Kilkenny site become a big mass of apartments and the likes. Because it's been such a central part of Kilkenny for hundreds of years, they're set on making sure it the site becomes meaningful to Kilkenny.

Unfortunately they're not as set on keeping the place open.

A new theatre, public square, museum and micro brewery are the things that have been mentioned. Then again, that's always the way.

You can only presume that whatever goes in there will feature St. Francis Abbey as a central part of it.

Purry Cat

Threadhead wrote: »

There's plans afoot to develop the site of the Brewery when it closes in 2012.

What exactly this will entail isn't yet known or decided but Diageo have said that they won't let the Kilkenny site become a big mass of apartments and the likes. Because it's been such a central part of Kilkenny for hundreds of years, they're set on making sure it the site becomes meaningful to Kilkenny.

Unfortunately they're not as set on keeping the place open.

A new theatre, public square, museum and micro brewery are the things that have been mentioned. Then again, that's always the way.

You can only presume that whatever goes in there will feature St. Francis Abbey as a central part of it.

Threadhead,

Not trying to be a smartass here, especially as I can see exactly what you mean. But just to be pedantic, there are no "plans afoot" whatsoever to develop the brewery site.

Yes, it'll become vacant in 2012. That doesn't mean there are "plans afoot" for it, though. Nor are Diageo "set on making sure" that the site becomes meaningful to Kilkenny. All they're set on is making sure they can get as much money for it as possible.

A "new theatre"? Scarcely; there's already a theatre within 100 yards of the site. All the other items you mention have been touted by attention-seeking politicians.

To repeat, there's NOTHING in the pipeline - still less nothing positive - for the brewery site!

djScarey

I propose a Matt Talbot Alcohol Treatment Centre on the site. It would be a fitting memorial to the site's wonderful legacy. Of course, it would be a staggered development.

EKRIUQ

Purry Cat wrote: »

Threadhead,

Not trying to be a smartass here, especially as I can see exactly what you mean. But just to be pedantic, there are no "plans afoot" whatsoever to develop the brewery site.

To repeat, there's NOTHING in the pipeline - still less nothing positive - for the brewery site!

I think are being pedantic towards Threadhead

Diageo Brewing Company wrote:

Diageo Brewing Company this week gave its best indication yet as to what may become of the 25-acre site in the city centre when brewing finally ceases after more than 300 years.

In three black-and-white architect's impression obtained by the Kilkenny People, it is evident Diageo has some grand plans for the old brewery.

The sdocument outlines possible future plans for the brewery site and maintains that the preserved St Francis Abbey will be a "focal point" of any development.

Diageo also said that particular attention would be paid to ensuring any possible development was "complementary with the historic city landscape".

Development would centre around the Abbey, which in one illustration is seen surrounded by wide pedestrian promenades and mature trees, with a large pond or water feature at the front.

In another, the site's riverside face has an almost Mediteranean feel, with boardwalks and a boat ramp opening the space up for use from both the water and the land.

The main drawing shows the site in relation to the city centre and illustrates how a new development would fit in with the surrounding area.

There are wide avenues, new streets, plenty of open spaces, trees and a large assortment of mixed-use and multi-storey buildings - allowing for flexibility in use.

While the drawings are slightly vague, they do give a reasonable interpretation of just how the site could be developed to benefit the city.

Rumours circulated throughout Kilkenny in July that an offer of 55 million euro had been made for the St Francis Abbey Brewery site, but Diageo denied the claim.

Purry Cat

Namesco wrote: »

I think are being pedantic towards Threadhead

Thanks for your contribution to the debate.

Threadhead

As mentioned above, I'm sure if you had consulted the Kilkenny People archive you'd find that edition from a couple of months back with drawings and designs for the potential layout of the development of the site incorporating St. Francis Abbey.

I'm not being a smartass either but I had no intention of steamrolling into this thread with unsubstantiated claims and unfounded ideas so I'd suggest doing your homework before being so 'pedantic' in future. Being pedantic suggests an attention to detail which is certainly not the case here.

Purry Cat

Touché!

Take your point. Thanks. Life's too short for looking up the Kilkenny People archives, mind you!

Just as a matter of interest, who were/are the prime movers behind these proposals? I'm aware that John McGuinness was babbling about a medieval museum or somesuch, but that was simply a case of McGuinness being McGuinness.

catbear

to be honest, i doubt anything is going to happen to the diagio site for a long time.
it may suffer a same fate as the old cattle mart, abandoned.
if we are lucky we might end up with a micro brewery.
i just don't see there been central funding for urban renewal for the forseeable future unless property tax is reintroduced.
budget 09 allows local authorities to charge €200 a year on second/holiday homes, this is to make up the shortfall in stampduty.
basically what i'm saying is, get used to seeing tumbleweed, highstreet in the late seventies and early eighties had vacant plots for nearly a decade after fire/collapse.
now it's the opposite, too many empty units (think of everystreet in kk) and not enough revenue to sustain the current rents.
business is contracting and empty sites are the physical evidence of that.
i reckon at best Diagio could dismantle the modern buildings and local groups could take over the site for gardens/plots etc....