News and views on Greystones harbour and marina [SEE MODERATOR WARNING POST 1187]

pixbyjohn

Bernard Gallagher arrives at Greystones Harbour Marina by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

James Kirwan arrives at Greystones Harbour Marina by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

20130401-DSC_7413 by pixbyjohn, on Flickr


Greystones Harbour Marina by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

James Kirwan, Marie Parks, Bernard Gallagher and Marina manager Ross Hall @ Greystones Harbour Marina 1st April 2013 by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

Services tower @ Greystones Harbour Marina

20130401-DSC_7366 by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

Open for business by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

Gordon Hunter,Harbour Master with Marie Parks and Bernard Gallagher @ Greystones Harbour Marina by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

Jimjay

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Open for business by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

John, has any more been opened up to public or is it all private access only?

pixbyjohn

Bernard Gallagher, Cllr George Jones and Ross Hall @ Greystones Harbour Marina by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

Tabnabs

The grand opening and the only two boats belong to the marina owners? (

Even the Sisks are a big boating family

)

bido

Tabnabs wrote: »

The grand opening and the only two boats belong to the marina owners? (

Even the Sisks are a big boating family

)

Or NAMA..:mad:

recedite

More pics here on Bernard's website;
http://www.greystonesharbourmarina.ie/category/news/

Managing Director Bernard Gallagher said “We’re delighted to be appointed as harbour and marina operators for Greystones......
We started taking bookings in late January and we have had a steady stream of commitment from berth holders since then. There will be 100 berths initially ranging from 6metres to 30metres. Once the demand is there, we can extend the marina to a capacity of 230 berths.

Jimjay

Had a walk down. It's actually better than I was expecting. Was about 7 boats moored up and you could walk down all the pontoons to have a look. I suppose the pontoons will be members only when fully open.

The Durutti Column

Jimjay wrote: »

Had a walk down. It's actually better than I was expecting. Was about 7 boats moored up and you could walk down all the pontoons to have a look.

I suppose the pontoons will be members only when fully open.

It's a commercial marina, not a private club.

The manager, Ross Hall, invited me to go ahead and wander about. The only restriction is that children under 12 must wear life jackets if on the pontoons.

I was interested to note that there is enough mooring space for two or three fishing vessels alongside the head of the inner breakwater, past the marina offices.

Next move should be to invite the fishers back. Then it might be more like a real harbour.

Yet never ever again like THIS:

Tabnabs

The Durutti Column wrote: »

It's a commercial marina, not a private club.

The manager, Ross Hall, invited me to go ahead and wander about. The only restriction is that children under 12 must wear life jackets if on the pontoons.

And commercial marinas have to protect their clients assets. This is in the form of gates and fences on the shore-side. Dun Laoghaire, Howth, Poolbeg, Malahide, Corsshaven, Waterford, etc, etc, they all have gates and restricted access to keep thieves out. Greystones will soon be the same. Theft, insurance and H&S will guarantee this.

Fiachra2

I went down too. I would agree that it was only open for the day. I have never come across a marina that allowed the public onto the pontoons. Since Monday it has been closed from back at the slip.

What the walk down did highlight was just what an awfull the mess they have left the foreshore in. It wont make a very pleasant vista for a visiting yacht to step ashore into a building site.

Langerland

When did they take these photos?? The weather (etc!) looks amazing! :P

pixbyjohn

Greystones Harbour Marina Saturday 6th April 2013 by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

Greystones Harbour Marina 6-4-2013 by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

Zohan

I am doing an essay for college on the failure of the Public Private Partnership model and Greystones Harbour. I was wondering does anyone know if such a document exists that tells the story from the beginning?
I've recently moved back to Greystones and am horrified at how this has turned out for the people and visitors of Greystones. I was also wondering if any of the campaign group are still going?

legrand

Zohan wrote: »

I am doing an essay for college on the failure of the Public Private Partnership model and Greystones Harbour. I was wondering does anyone know if such a document exists that tells the story from the beginning?
I've recently moved back to Greystones and am horrified at how this has turned out for the people and visitors of Greystones. I was also wondering if any of the campaign group are still going?

I recall a poster under the name of FFF seemed to have a good insight into the contractual setup - you could search back there (or maybe you could reach out). That aspect may be relatively clear - however, it's the BS politics that probably is most at fault here. Good luck.

Roguewave

Zohan the talk below should give you all the information you need. Sisk and their engineers are giving a presentation to their peers on a Job well done!! Admission is free and open to everyone - I wonder will there be anyone present from Wicklow Co. Co. or GUBOH.

Details available here: http://www.engineersireland.ie/groups/divisions/civil/events/greystones-harbour-ppp-civil-and-marine-works.aspx

Greystones Harbour PPP - Civil and Marine Works

• Date
  Thursday, 2 May 2013
  
• Time
  From 6:00 PM
• Venue
  Engineers Ireland, 22 Clyde Road, Dublin 4

About the event

This presentation graphically covers the development of the Greystones Harbour PPP scheme - civil and marine works, describing the scheme from concept through to initial operations and covering all stages of design and construction. The delivery of a significant public amenity through the PPP vehicle is addressed, illustrating the inter-relationships between planning, design and construction. The project included a few "firsts" and was not without significant challenges, both publicly and technically. Geotechnical issues such as an old landfill, coastal erosion mitigation, settlement of breakwaters, dredging and reclamation, piling and the development of a borrow pit within the site are addressed. Key maritime issues are also covered including numerical and physical modelling, temporary works and value engineering measures.
About the speakers

Sean Mason Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland - Arup
Speaker from Sispar

Admission
Free - all welcome!

Blanchflower

Roguewave wrote: »

Zohan the talk below should give you all the information you need. Sisk and their engineers are giving a presentation to their peers on a Job well done!! Admission is free and open to everyone - I wonder will there be anyone present from Wicklow Co. Co. or GUBOH.

Details available here: http://www.engineersireland.ie/groups/divisions/civil/events/greystones-harbour-ppp-civil-and-marine-works.aspx

Greystones Harbour PPP - Civil and Marine Works

• Date
  Thursday, 2 May 2013
  
• Time
  From 6:00 PM
• Venue
  Engineers Ireland, 22 Clyde Road, Dublin 4

About the event

This presentation graphically covers the development of the Greystones Harbour PPP scheme - civil and marine works, describing the scheme from concept through to initial operations and covering all stages of design and construction. The delivery of a significant public amenity through the PPP vehicle is addressed, illustrating the inter-relationships between planning, design and construction. The project included a few "firsts" and was not without significant challenges, both publicly and technically. Geotechnical issues such as an old landfill, coastal erosion mitigation, settlement of breakwaters, dredging and reclamation, piling and the development of a borrow pit within the site are addressed. Key maritime issues are also covered including numerical and physical modelling, temporary works and value engineering measures.
About the speakers

Sean Mason Chartered Engineer and Fellow of Engineers Ireland - Arup
Speaker from Sispar

Admission
Free - all welcome!

At these guys for real. Plonkers. Their project is a financial and ecological disaster. The harbour area resembles a WW2 bomb site and Park Developments have spat the dummy and crawled off the pitch so to speak. The project, spawned in the bubbly period, will never be finished.

Fiachra2

Zohan wrote: »

I am doing an essay for college on the failure of the Public Private Partnership model and Greystones Harbour. I was wondering does anyone know if such a document exists that tells the story from the beginning?
I've recently moved back to Greystones and am horrified at how this has turned out for the people and visitors of Greystones. I was also wondering if any of the campaign group are still going?

The opposition group (GPDA) no longer exists as they failed to halt the development and any further objection is rather pointless at this stage. Those of us still involved are focused on trying to reslove the mess we have been left with. If you send me a PM I can fill you in on the history of the issue. You can certainly write a very topical paper because there is a very interesting aspect still ongoing with this. The interesting (and alarming) bit is that Wicklow County Council has the means at its disposal to resolve the mess that there. They could compel the devlopers to landscape the whole sight. However the county manager refuses to do so. So what you have here is a PPP that has gone completly pear shaped and a local authority that is far more concerned with the financil well being of the private partner than it is with the well being of the community for which it (the local authority) is supposed to be working.

The Durutti Column

legrand wrote: »

I recall a poster under the name of FFF seemed to have a good insight into the contractual setup - you could search back there (or maybe you could reach out). That aspect may be relatively clear - however, it's the BS politics that probably is most at fault here. Good luck.

That well informed poster is F3 — pretty close, Legrand!! Yes, his info and background seem just what you need Zohan, so why not PM him along with Fiachra2?

BigGeorge

Who in the name of goodness would sign a contract where you give away the family silver upfront but where the other side doesnt need to do what they agreed to do?

..this makes no sense or am I missing something?

Macy0161

BigGeorge wrote: »

..this makes no sense or am I missing something?

What we know of the contract, it isn't a free ride. However, there appears to be no will by officials, who are equally under very little pressure from elected representatives, to enforce the terms of the contract.

Zohan

Thank you for the information. I'm getting some info from going through these old Boards posts and following links. It's an excellent case against the use of PPPs for a project that is supposed to provide public amenities.

Zohan

It has been difficult to come by literature relating to the Greystones Harbour Development for my forthcoming college paper. Much of what was online a number of years ago appears to be offline now (e.g Greystones Harbour website etc.). If anyone has any info relating to the following questions I would really appreciate it. Any info would be brilliant to have. Thanks.

I am looking for the following:

1. An account of what level of community participation/stakeholder input went to the process of the planning and decision making of Greystones Harbour?
2. Documentation relating to Wicklow County Council’s proposal to develop the harbour in such a way and in using the PPP model to do so.
3. Documentation from An Bord Pleanala that approved the project, the reasons it gave and the responses it might have made to the high volume of objections.
4. Documentation relating to the increased number of residential and commercial units after ABP had restricted this side of the development due to it being too large in size in suiting the surrounding area.
5. Any documents/statements from WCC relating to the delay of the development following the crash of the property bubble.
6. Any information from Sispar relating also to delays in the project and what their plans are for the space.

Fiachra2

The GUBOH organisation, which has campaigned to have the harbour area landscaped and opened to the public, has welcomed the collaborative efforts by Greystones Chamber of Commerce, Greystones Tidy Towns Committee and local public representatives including Stephen Donnelly TD in the recently launched “Brand Greystones” initiative.
The GUBOH group believes that a number of improvements are easily achievable in the harbour area. These include:
• Seeing the marina and boatyard fully functioning
• Improvements to the closed section of the public square area including landscaping and opening it to the public
• Improved landscaping of the rest of the site
• Opening the North Pier
• Facilities for commercial fishermen
• Removal of all unnecessary fencing
The group believes that there is an opportunity to align these priorities with the "Brand Greystones" initiative which will entice visitors to Greystones and help rejuvenate the local economy. “This is a fantastic opportunity” said spokesman Fiachra Etchingham. “We believe that our goals are shared by the local community, by local businesses and by our public representatives. We are certain that with appropriate contract administration by Wicklow County Council, Sisk would be more than happy to support and collaborate in the Brand Greystones initiative.