Reality of Dun Laoghaire Library

CatFromHue

Qualitymark wrote: »

There is a certain "The poor are hungry? Why don't they eat cake then" feel about building this giant air container while Dun Laoghaire so badly needs good social housing, jobs, facilities…

facilities like say a library?

:pac:

Qualitymark

CatFromHue wrote: »

facilities like say a library?

:pac:

Absolutely - a nice big library with a gorgeous view of the sea and many books, places to work and read and relax and have readings and launches and exhibitions; not a big air-container.

RainyDay

Just came across some nice examples from the US of how libraries make real communities

http://www.pps.org/blog/beyond-books-outside-the-box-program-helps-build-community-with-public-libraries/

worded

RainyDay wrote: »

And yet many of the candidates who supported the development got re-elected. Funny how democracy works.


FYP there.

Rules? I'm talking about excessive parking fees. Some even charged on Sunday.
Minimum of 2 euro by the ferry there even if you are dropping off a loved one a d saying goodbye for 5 mins. 2 euro !

I read DCC made 7 million in parking fees/fines in one year.

I just go else where now as its a piss take. Excessive fees IMHO

About two years ago I decided to stay for lunch in run Laoghaire and parked in the SC. I pottered around and I can remember exactly buy the fee was for 3.05 hours and it was circa 12 Euro approx ! I protested through the intercom but got no where. I told them I would shop in Dundrum etc if they thought they could shaft me for spending money in DL on lunch etc.

RainyDay

worded wrote: »

Rules? I'm talking about excessive parking fees. Some even charged on Sunday.
Minimum of 2 euro by the ferry there even if you are dropping off a loved one a d saying goodbye for 5 mins. 2 euro !

I read DCC made 7 million in parking fees/fines in one year.

I just go else where now as its a piss take. Excessive fees IMHO

About two years ago I decided to stay for lunch in run Laoghaire and parked in the SC. I pottered around and I can remember exactly buy the fee was for 3.05 hours and it was circa 12 Euro approx ! I protested through the intercom but got no where. I told them I would shop in Dundrum etc if they thought they could shaft me for spending money in DL on lunch etc.

I had dinner in Milanos yesterday with the family, then a walk on the pier, then an ice cream in Scrumdiddleys, and spent zero on parking. I've parked in the multi-story a few times, and never paid anything near €12.

You have 15 minutes grace with all on-street parking spaces, so dropping people off or picking people up isn't a problem.

Schadenfreudia

RainyDay wrote: »

I had dinner in Milanos yesterday with the family, then a walk on the pier, then an ice cream in Scrumdiddleys, and spent zero on parking. I've parked in the multi-story a few times, and never paid anything near €12.

You have 15 minutes grace with all on-street parking spaces, so dropping people off or picking people up isn't a problem.

I don't think on-street parking in DL is the issue it is made out to be, people could, but don't use the multi-storey car park a lot of the time.

The problem is that from the outer suburbs, where the demographic with spending power lives, DL is very difficult to access compared to, say, Carrickmines or Dundrum or even the City centre.

This is partly the result of the local Nimbys opposing ever major access road project for the past 40 years.

These things come home to roost eventually.

From where I live, in DL county council, anywhere nearly anywhere near the M50 or on the Luas line is much easier to get to than DL.

worded

RainyDay wrote: »

I had dinner in Milanos yesterday with the family, then a walk on the pier, then an ice cream in Scrumdiddleys, and spent zero on parking. I've parked in the multi-story a few times, and never paid anything near €12.

You have 15 minutes grace with all on-street parking spaces, so dropping people off or picking people up isn't a problem.

Fees may have changed but there was a penalty for staying over the average of 2/3 hours and it was gob smackingly expensive in the SC. it's rare I complain but the fellow at the other end of the intercom couldn't give a toss. It was 12+ euro.

I wouldn't trustparking attends to give 15 mins grace. Been nailed a few times over the years and I can't risk it any more.

What's with charging parking on Sundays in DL in certain places?
I'd that hungry or what?

Qualitymark

People who live in Dun Laoghaire see a different place than visitors.

The Dun Laoghaire of my childhood was a quiet, gentrified sort of place, with lovely shops, utterly safe streets, everywhere clean and freshly painted, the street surfaces washed clean. It was a lovely place to live.

When I visit now (usually cycling rather than driving, due to the Stand-and-Deliver parking fees), I find a grubby, seedy town centre with ugly shops.

Glasthule - which was rather vulgar and downmarket in my childhood - has become what Dun Laoghaire used to be.

Dalkey seems to be poised to rush down into the same state as Dun Laoghaire.

Larbre34

Qualitymark wrote: »

People who live in Dun Laoghaire see a different place than visitors.

The Dun Laoghaire of my childhood was a quiet, gentrified sort of place, with lovely shops, utterly safe streets, everywhere clean and freshly painted, the street surfaces washed clean. It was a lovely place to live.

When I visit now (usually cycling rather than driving, due to the Stand-and-Deliver parking fees), I find a grubby, seedy town centre with ugly shops.

Glasthule - which was rather vulgar and downmarket in my childhood - has become what Dun Laoghaire used to be.

Dalkey seems to be poised to rush down into the same state as Dun Laoghaire.

Ive probably never read a more snobby post outside of After Hours.

Im not sure what era your remembrance of Dun Laoghaire goes back to, but I grew up there in the late 70s up to about 1988 and I can tell you that although there were more and busier shops, there was a lot of dereliction and disrepair in the area, every place was certainly not freshly painted, and the streets were more likely to be potholed and have cars parked any old spot

Qualitymark

Larbre34 wrote: »

Ive probably never read a more snobby post outside of After Hours.

If I may correct your assumption, there's nothing snobbish about wanting to live in a nice clean calm place. I've lived in areas of varying wealth over many years, and many of the working-class areas were well kept by people who had pride and love for their neighbourhood.

worded

Qualitymark wrote: »

If I may correct your assumption, there's nothing snobbish about wanting to live in a nice clean calm place. I've lived in areas of varying wealth over many years, and many of the working-class areas were well kept by people who had pride and love for their neighbourhood.

Is there still a working-class. Is it not working-poor. Working class don't work do they?

Larbre34

Qualitymark wrote: »

If I may correct your assumption, there's nothing snobbish about wanting to live in a nice clean calm place. I've lived in areas of varying wealth over many years, and many of the working-class areas were well kept by people who had pride and love for their neighbourhood.

Implying that gentrification and washed clean streets are the stuff of nice places to live is snobby. By the way Dun Laoghaire was never either.

Personally I enjoyed it because it was a nice community, there was certainly never much money around, even our working dads were screwed by taxation in the early 80s.

I would say there are many parts of Dun Laoghaire kept nice by a proud community. Indeed some social housing areas are kept far better than they were in my youth. And the streets werent especially safe then either for kids, getting a few belts from the kids in poorer estates and having money and jackets or runners taken was common enough. I cant compare that to today though, but I would suggest that apart from the methodone brigade, there isnt wholesale street crime in DL in 2015.

While I disagree with just about everything to do with the Library, I cant deny its popularity, and I cant help feeling the town is on the verge of capitalising on all its assets to make a comeback in terms of quality retail and who knows, maybe a bit of gentrification!

Qualitymark

worded wrote: »

Is there still a working-class. Is it not working-poor. Working class don't work do they?

Working-class people are generally those who work rather than living off income from, say, stocks; I'd tend to exclude people like CEOs, though.

Larbre34 wrote: »

Implying that gentrification and washed clean streets are the stuff of nice places to live is snobby. By the way Dun Laoghaire was never either.

Your never and my never may have different time ranges

Schadenfreudia

Larbre34 wrote: »

Indeed some social housing areas are kept far better than they were in my youth. And the streets weren't especially safe then either for kids, getting a few belts from the kids in poorer estates and having money and jackets or runners taken was common enough.

Agree. I well remember DL in the 1970s and if I had to sum it in two words?

Busy and grotty. Today it is neither.

And no, the sun didn't shine endlessly on spotless streets. It's bad enough wanting to preserve something simply because it is there - even worse trying to preserve a place that never existed!

josip

Perhaps QualityMark is referring to a different decade than others are?
I don't see that (s)he ever specified the era?
Perhaps we can avoid further "banter" if QM would be so kind as to tell us when (s)he's referring to?

RainyDay

worded wrote: »

I wouldn't trustparking attends to give 15 mins grace. Been nailed a few times over the years and I can't risk it any more.

Seeing as it was a parking attendant that told me about the 15 minutes grace period, I'm happy to go with it. I don't believe that anyone has been 'nailed a few times' with illegally applied parking fines over the years. Just too big a coincidence - far more likely that the person was chancing their arm.

Qualitymark

1950s, 1960s.

Cookie_Monster

The (generalised) opposite reactions to the library and Poolbeg towers on the coast are an interesting subject I reckon. While the vocal minority strongly object to the size and scale, ugliness and imposing nature of the library building the same minority are screaming to keep some filthy and completely pointless old towers due to their iconic cultural significance, despite being an utter blight on the coast line.

It's bizarre frankly.

ted1

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

filthy and completely pointless old towers due to their iconic cultural significance, despite being an utter blight on the coast line.

It's bizarre frankly.

There far from a blight on the coastline. On a very low skyline that Dublin has, there a beacon that breaks up the city and can be seen from all over. Once you can see them you instantly know that your in Dublin.

Larbre34

The Poolbeg towers were hated at the time they were built, but Dublin was a much more grimy place generally then, and they are sited in a fairly remote location.

The have grown to be a symbol, purely because of their omnipresence, but they are completely impractical to preserve long term. Id be in favour of demolishing them now and agreeing a new permanent structure in the port area to represent Dublin, in the context of the Port masterplan and the reorientation of the modern City to the mouth of the river

Seaswimmer

Schadenfreudia wrote: »

Agree. I well remember DL in the 1970s and if I had to sum it in two words?

Busy and grotty. Today it is neither.

And no, the sun didn't shine endlessly on spotless streets. It's bad enough wanting to preserve something simply because it is there - even worse trying to preserve a place that never existed!

Sad and weary, dull and dreary.
That's the thing about Dun Laoire.

Yer Aul One

Relaxing and fun
Especially in sun
That's Dun Laoghaire

Grab a Teddy's
Before the kid's beddy's
That's Dun Leary

Forget the library vista
As you order from your barista
That's Dun Laoire

Welcome the cruise ships
No need for a foreign trip
We have Dun Laoghaire

Tragedy

Larbre34 wrote: »

The Poolbeg towers were hated at the time they were built, but Dublin was a much more grimy place generally then, and they are sited in a fairly remote location.

The have grown to be a symbol, purely because of their omnipresence, but they are completely impractical to preserve long term. Id be in favour of demolishing them now and agreeing a new permanent structure in the port area to represent Dublin, in the context of the Port masterplan and the reorientation of the modern City to the mouth of the river

You don't 'choose' something to be an iconic representation of a place. That you have such an elementary misconception, shows why you don't understand the love of Poolbeg Chimnies.

Cookie_Monster

ted1 wrote: »

There far from a blight on the coastline.

they're pointless though. I'm all for having ugly but required and functional stuff if needs be but they no longer serve a purpose and so should not longer be there. I really don't see a need to be sentimental about a couple of man made chimneys, regardless of where they are.

Maybe resurrect the incinerator plan and plug it in to them, at least they'd serve a purpose again

Schadenfreudia

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

It's bizarre frankly.

More than just bizarre, it is the classic preservationist mindset. Whatever was there in our imagined golden past must be preserved; anything new must be opposed.

Until the next generation decide the "horrible" new stuff is now a precious symbol of DL!

The LexIcon is even predicting this in its name

josip

According to DL BID

A major strategy to revitalise the town of Dún Laoghaire was launched at the national Future of Towns summit in Dún Laoghaire on 16th April 2015. A five year strategy, the Dún Laoghaire 20:20 vision, commissioned by the Dún Laoghaire BID company aims to redesign the High Street and segment Dún Laoghaire into distinctive quarters. In addition a dedicated shuttle bus and the development of cycle lanes will connect the town to thousands of residents and students located just fifteen minutes away from the town centre. Compiled by retail consultants One-Eighty-Degrees, the strategy would see the town’s high street, Georges Street, segmented into four distinctive quarters: (Interiors, Retail, Business/Residential and Cultural/Artisan), each with a concentration of themed offerings. Each quarter or district will be set apart through the creation of bespoke atmospheric street lighting, diverse pavement design and colour and characteristic outdoor leisure areas. The ten point strategy is designed to be implemented by 2020 and prioritises the revival of the high street as a crucial factor in regenerating the town. The strategy prioritises safety and security as central to attracting footfall. A smart street lighting system with cameras incorporated into the lights would also play a core role in targeting social problems. Transforming Dún Laoghaire into a smart town is another main priority with free open air WIFI and smart bins already in place. The 20:20 Vision also recommends introducing a smart parking system, e-signage and developing the smart bins to include footfall counters to support marketing and planning.

Bits_n_Bobs

josip wrote: »

According to DL BID

So basically they're digging up the mainstreet (again...) and installing big-brother cameras...

josip

If the study has been commissioned by DL BID, who have no executive powers, do they need to get the backing of the councillors first?

Is there any precedent for this segregation of businesses?
What happens if you're already operating the right business, but in the wrong part of town from their perspective?
What happens if you want to open up a new business, but of the wrong type for that particular area?
What zone does the methadone clinic belong to?
How do smart bins measure footfall? Infra red beams?
Where is the free public wifi available at the moment?
So many questions.

Larbre34

As a professional planner, i can tell you that is all guff.

There is no unitary management of a town in the same way as a shopping complex. There are too many stakeholders at variance to make it work. Coming up with arbitrary non-statutory zonings within a commercial area will only wind up property owners who will see their valuations under threat.

And trust me when i tell you, Dun Laoghaire's biggest problem over the last 20 years is non-resident property owners and pension funds setting rents, not parking or cobble stones or even Dundrum.

RainyDay

josip wrote: »

If the study has been commissioned by DL BID, who have no executive powers, do they need to get the backing of the councillors first?

Is there any precedent for this segregation of businesses?
What happens if you're already operating the right business, but in the wrong part of town from their perspective?
What happens if you want to open up a new business, but of the wrong type for that particular area?
What zone does the methadone clinic belong to?
How do smart bins measure footfall? Infra red beams?
Where is the free public wifi available at the moment?
So many questions.

Have you tried asking the DL BID folks, or are you just being rhetorical?