10 Projects that will transform Waterford

JLenno

With an election in the offing I see that the stall is being set out for large public funded development projects in other cities... so what's in the pipeline for waterford?

I'm aware of one for Michael St and the Applemarket. There are at least 10 planned for cork... so what are our other 9?

Quote:Irish Times

10 projects that will transform Cork

1. NEW ROADS
Top of the list is the Cork-Limerick N20, which missed out on major investment in the boom and remains a woefully inadequate link between the Republic’s second and third cities. Officially the project remains on hold, but hopes are growing, especially since Minister of State Seán Sherlock revealed he had discussed resurrecting the project with Minister for Public Expenditure Brendan Howlin and Minister for Transport Paschal Donohue

2. EVENT CENTRE AT BEAMISH & CRAWFORD SITE
Cork City Council announced just before Christmas that Heineken Ireland and the construction firm BAM had been successful in a joint bid to develop a ¤50 million event centre for the city at the site of the former Beamish & Crawford brewery on South Main Street.

3. FLOOD RELIEF
Floods in 2009, 2012 and 2014 highlighted the need for a proper flood-defence system and a major flood-relief plan. The Lower Lee Flood Relief Scheme involves a number of measures, including the construction of flood-defence barriers along the quay walls in the city. Work is expected to begin in 2016.

4. PÁIRC UÍ CHAOIMH
Work is due to start shortly on the €70 million refurbishment of Cork’s GAA headquarters, which was granted planning permission in December by An Bord Pleanála, following an oral hearing.

5. COBH
new deepwater berth will accommodate Quantum-class cruise liners.

6. HAULBOWLINE
remediation plan involves stabilising heavy metal and converting the nine-hectare site into a green amenity.

7. SPIKE ISLAND
There are plans to develop it as a tourist attraction – “Cork’s Alcatraz” – in a €40 million plan.

8. IRISH MARITIME AND ENERGY RESOURCE CLUSTER
Carries out pioneering work in a number of fields.

9. RINGASKIDDY
Sites are being developed at Ringaskiddy West and at Ringskiddy East, where a multipurpose berth will be built to accommodate ships carrying a range of cargoes. To be operational by 2018.

10. LOCAL GOVERNMENT REFORM Minister for the Environment Alan Kelly has appointed an expert group to examine local government in Cork. Kelly said he saw a clear case for extending the city boundary to encompass a metropolitan area;an expert group has been given nine months to report.

cookie.monster

we need TD,s in the Dáil with a backbone first!!! clearly we will be lucky to get anything done

jimbo1979

Terrible to see Waterford city slowly eroded over 20\25 years.unfortunately our repersentation has been woeful in this county since then in parliament.nothing will become of this city till the collage is upgraded,get Waterford quay properly developed,get Waterford airport up and going to important destinations.Waterford has massive potential to do things but it has no political clout or no investment.John deasy has done nothing for Waterford bar live off his fathers name.paudi Coffey has turned his nose up at his own people and gone against everything his stood for.John halligan unfortunately has no political pull that his an independent and ciara Conway well what can I say.a complete and then utter let down and completely out of her depth.we could have massive potential for tourism and job infrastructure in this county but it will be a long long time before something will ever happen

wallywhittle

They should forget about the airport and pump the money into the port instead. Waterford is to close to Dublin and Cork to have a competitive airport.

fiachr_a

jimbo1979 wrote: »

Terrible to see Waterford city slowly eroded over 20\25 years

It's because it turned into a donut city with everyone moving out to the suburbs, too far to walk into the town centre. Local businesses spanning generations sold up, retired, and moved out. Appalling apartment town planning too. Which genius decided to build this down a side street and beside a football field?
https://www.google.ie/maps/@52.250569,-7.111725,3a,75y,224.8h,86.14t/data=!3m4!1e1!3m2!1syzSv720mpWx8QwHeYzap8A!2e0!6m1!1e1

tankbarry

They should forget about the airport and pump the money into the port instead. Waterford is to close to Dublin and Cork to have a competitive airport.

Waterford doesn't need or have to be competitive with cork or dublin. What Waterford need is a small number of flights everyday and a runway big enough to maybe tempt in some private jets that need a bigger runway.

aaaaaaaahhhhhh

Speaking of transforming Waterford, I came across this in the Munster today:

Revamped Apple Market Revealed

Published on Tuesday, February 3rd, 2015 at 5:23 pm

A glimpse of the long-awaited revamp of Waterford city’s Apple Market was revealed in an artist’s impression disclosed to The Munster Express on Friday last.
Included in an upbeat assessment regarding a proposed €21 million Government-sanctioned stimulus package, Fine Gael TD John Deasy said the ambitious proposal was “currently being considered by Government”.

The creation of a rejuvenated ‘public realm’ in the ‘outer’ city centre, encompassing the Apple Market at one end and O’Connell Street is seen as a natural extension of the works initialised in the Viking Triangle.

“The ‘glazed-over’ Apple Market would create a unique pedestrian-friendly realm that would put the area on a pair with any micro-city in Europe,” according to Deputy Deasy.

“It’s also hoped this could also act as a catalyst for the NAMA-led €30 million development of the adjacent Michael Street shopping site.”

It’s projected that the delivery of such a new retail space in the Michael Street area, “freed up by a new orbital traffic system, could activate hundreds of jobs during construction and in permanent retail/food-drink positions”.

In relation to the €21 million package, to which Deputy Deasy disclaimed: “it’s anything but clear right now whether we will get the entire amount”, he added: “but so far the meetings have gone very well and I’m hopeful that a substantial sum will be made available for projects in Waterford.”

The bulk of the package’s funding would come from central government, with Waterford City & County Council (along with possible EU monies) also expected to contribute.

Last month, Deputy Deasy, along with a “senior deputation” from the City & County Council met with Robert Watt, the Secretary General of the Department of Public Expenditure, along with his Derek Moran, his counterpart in the Department of Finance.

There, they presented a case for funding “a limited set of focused investments, which could in turn spur a private capital injection”.

The Deise Greenway is one of several other Waterford projects which is currently being considered for funding, a cycle and walking route which may, in time, connect the city, Dungarvan and Tramore.

On a cautionary note, John Deasy stated: “Court proceedings are currently in train involving some landowners and no-one can really tell what will happen.

“Completing this project depends very much on reaching resolution with the parties concerned, though if these difficulties can be overcome it’s recognised that the Greenway has the potential to generate a very significant extra tourism spend here.”

The package detailed by Deputy Deasy also includes “a targeted intervention in Tramore”, spread between the Market Square/Queen Street axis.

This would also lead to the rejuvenation of the abandoned area around the town’s boating lake, while also creating a public transportation hub at the former railway terminus, which would lead to the restoration of the train station building for community use.

Funding is also being sought to finish the WIT Arena at Carriganore to 2,000-seater, fully-serviced standard “so as to establish it as a regional-scale venue to conferences, expos and entertainment”.

This newspaper understands that the completion of the Arena is currently at tendering stage and a source hopes that work will re-commence onsite this summer.

“These are the type of projects identified in the Economic Strategy prepared ahead of last year’s local government merger,” said Deputy Deasy, who is also seeking an advance factory for Dungarvan to generate new investment for West Waterford.

“Getting these off the ground would help reinforce the rebranding strategy currently underway in Waterford.”

wellboytoo

And that was a party political broadcast on behalf of John Deasy.

sparkling sea

Only 2 Ministers will transform Waterford.

2 Ministers I tell ye....

mufcboy1999

In my honest opinion at the moment Waterford is more a town than a city. It's not city like in anyway, the atmosphere, jobs, opportunities, infrastructure etc, and it is a shame because as said above the potential is here. Most weekends I return home from Cork, and in comparison Waterford is ridiculously behind on just about everything. I don't purposely mean to compare either, I just cant help but feel the depression around the place, Its there to be felt.

fiachr_a

mufcboy1999 wrote: »

Most weekends I return home from Cork, and in comparison Waterford is ridiculously behind on just about everything.

Next weekend stop off at Youghal and then post on how dead Waterford is!

O Riain

fiachr_a wrote: »

Next weekend stop off at Youghal and then post on how dead Waterford is!

But he's dead right. I put it more down to the buzz than the size though. I think Limerick has the same buzz as Waterford - not really a city feel - even though its the 3rd biggest city in Ireland. My mate from galway for instance, totally refused to believe limerick was a bigger city than Galway. This was based purely on the buzz. Kilkenny on the other hand has that feeling yet is only a town. Not quiet sure what we need to change it but we seem to be going in the right direction at least.

mufcboy1999

O Riain wrote: »

But he's dead right. I put it more down to the buzz than the size though. I think Limerick has the same buzz as Waterford - not really a city feel - even though its the 3rd biggest city in Ireland. My mate from galway for instance, totally refused to believe limerick was a bigger city than Galway. This was based purely on the buzz. Kilkenny on the other hand has that feeling yet is only a town. Not quiet sure what we need to change it but we seem to be going in the right direction at least.

Some of the the actual towns/suburbs of Cork e.g. Mahon, douglas etc are built up to the level of Waterford City, if not more, everything is there, 24 hour tescos, big shopping centres, cinemas etc etc. Regardless of the airport and university, which are needless to say massive to us becoming a thriving county again, more jobs have to be the first step imo. I know the airport and uni would bring more employment, thats a given but right now we need to hang on to a declining population and give them some opportunities to stay in Waterford with decent career prospects and decent pay, contracts and rights, i'm not talking about government funded cattle farms like eishtec either.

O Riain

mufcboy1999 wrote: »

Some of the the actual towns/suburbs of Cork e.g. Mahon, douglas etc are built up to the level of Waterford City, if not more, everything is there, 24 hour tescos, big shopping centres, cinemas etc etc. Regardless of the airport and university, which are needless to say massive to us becoming a thriving county again, more jobs have to be the first step imo. I know the airport and uni would bring more employment, thats a given but right now we need to hang on to a declining population and give them some opportunities to stay in Waterford with decent career prospects and decent pay, contracts and rights, i'm not talking about government funded cattle farms like eishtec either.

Its a strange one though, limerick has an abundance of jobs and the second best airport in Ireland just up the road. We have many a reason why we are the way we are, Limerick not so much. Could be their reliance on Dell and our reliance on the crystal but would need someone a lot more in the know than me to explain what we are both lacking now.

Edit: AND a university (but not in the city centre)

JLenno

Ok after reading the other posts in this thread I'm going to throw out 10 projects I'm thinking as I type... how would the city look after....

1. Bio science employment hub near genzyme funded via IDA incentive scheme

2. Michael St. Shopping development

3. Historic centre tax incentive scheme refurbishment and rate free small stores

4. Ferrybank development and cycle bridge

5. Proper linkup to high speed broadband line planned for cork - dublin

6. N24 upgrade to Limerick

7. Buyout toll company on new bridge

8. Proper upgrade for Port of Waterford facilities including ability to take larger vessels

9. Reverse Hospital downgrade

10. University

If we ourselves aren't clear on what we want how can we expect the city to thrive again?

wellboytoo

JLenno wrote: »

Ok after reading the other posts in this thread I'm going to throw out 10 projects I'm thinking as I type... how would the city look after....

1. Bio science employment hub near genzyme funded via IDA incentive scheme

2. Michael St. Shopping development

3. Historic centre tax incentive scheme refurbishment and rate free small stores

4. Ferrybank development and cycle bridge

5. Proper linkup to high speed broadband line planned for cork - dublin

6. N24 upgrade to Limerick

7. Buyout toll company on new bridge

8. Proper upgrade for Port of Waterford facilities including ability to take larger vessels

9. Reverse Hospital downgrade

10. University

If we ourselves aren't clear on what we want how can we expect the city to thrive again?

Double top there jlenno and why not.

BBM77

JLenno wrote: »

Ok after reading the other posts in this thread I'm going to throw out 10 projects I'm thinking as I type... how would the city look after....

1. Bio science employment hub near genzyme funded via IDA incentive scheme

2. Michael St. Shopping development

3. Historic centre tax incentive scheme refurbishment and rate free small stores

4. Ferrybank development and cycle bridge

5. Proper linkup to high speed broadband line planned for cork - dublin

6. N24 upgrade to Limerick

7. Buyout toll company on new bridge

8. Proper upgrade for Port of Waterford facilities including ability to take larger vessels

9. Reverse Hospital downgrade

10. University

If we ourselves aren't clear on what we want how can we expect the city to thrive again?

Very well said. If the government gave funding to even one of these it would help the development of Waterford. What will they fund? A roof over Michael St.

AviationUK

As a regular commuter from London to Waterford, I can safely say that the airport would be a great place to start. Big international businesses will simply not look at Waterford UNLESS it has a functioning airport. Back when there was a flight to Luton planes used to be rather full of the suited and booted type. But now they just go to Dublin or Cork and place their business there.

From London I can go to either Cork or Dublin for a day, work and be back in London for my dinner. To get to Waterford I need three days now, one to get there, one for the meeting and one to get back! - how could a large international company justify setting up in Waterford over Cork or Dublin, or even Shannon, Derry or Knock!

As you can see it's no use telling businesses it's just a two and a half hour drive away from Dublin as they've probably been through three to four hours travelling/waiting in airports to get that far!