Viewing platform in Keem

6541

There was a story in the local media during the week about attracting tourists to Mayo, one story is that Mayo Co. Co plan to build a viewing platform in Keem. I had a discussion with a number of people about this, I advise Mayo Co.Co. to proceed with caution, we will not sit by and let Keem an outstanding place of beauty be destroyed by shortsightedness. It is possible the story is just kite flying.

TopTec

Can you link to the story please?

TT

Niall_daaS

TopTec wrote: »

Can you link to the story please?

TT

I just found this: http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21423:keem-through-the-looking-glass&catid=23:news&Itemid=46

The Mayo News has learned that ambitious plans have been proposed for Keem Bay which will include a viewing platform on the hill overlooking the bay near the old Coastguard station. This will incorporate a glass walkway which people will be able to stand on, with the waves crashing against the rocks underneath them. (...) “There will be a viewing platform at the top and depending on our budget it could be a really exciting project for Achill,” he (Peter Hynes from MCC) told The Mayo News.

I was at this very place in january and it was truely wonderful. Can't see a reason for improvement of natures beauty by something artificial like the proposed.

irishgeo

if its going to be be at the top of the cliffs it wont be viewable from the beach anyway.

Mantis Toboggan

Sounds like a great idea.

muddle84

Ive seen an artists impression of the proposed walkway and dont think it will add anything to the area. I also cant see how it would be constructed without seriously altering the surrounding area. The cliffs there are not that high so i dont think it would draw anymore people than keem already does.

nuac

When basking sharks were being harpooned off Keem Bay they had lookouts on the cliffs there.

It would be a great observation point if it can be built without too much damage to the landscape

muddle84

nuac wrote: »

When basking sharks were being harpooned off Keem Bay they had lookouts on the cliffs there.

It would be a great observation point if it can be built without too much damage to the landscape

There was no look out buildings though were there? The only building up there is the world war 2 look out post. I agree it would be a great thin gif it could be built without any damage.

It is amazing the amount of history in that small bay.

irishgeo

nuac wrote: »

When basking sharks were being harpooned off Keem Bay they had lookouts on the cliffs there.

It would be a great observation point if it can be built without too much damage to the landscape

The lookout building is on the beach.

Dudda

Think it's a great idea. When you are building on a cliff with something lightweight like a viewing deck you can pretty much bolt it to the existing stone and have tiny pad foundations. The impact will be minimum presuming its designed right and built right. The problem is cost. Glass you can walk on is ridiculously expensive compared to regular glass and all the structure will have to be high grade stainless steel that will stand up to the wild atlantic. Any regular galvanised steel would rust in 3-4 years in an exposed location like that and become a danger to users. They have €257,000 for 35 locations (as mentioned in the article) so that's only a little over 7k each if distributed evenly. Anyone have a link to the artist sketch to get an idea of how big it is as it could cost 50-100k depending on it's size. What will be built will probably have a steel mesh floor not glass due to cost or be a lot smaller than planned.

Still think it's a great idea if it's done right.

irishgeo

Dudda wrote: »

Think it's a great idea. When you are building on a cliff with something lightweight like a viewing deck you can pretty much bolt it to the existing stone and have tiny pad foundations. The impact will be minimum presuming its designed right and built right. The problem is cost. Glass you can walk on is ridiculously expensive compared to regular glass and all the structure will have to be high grade stainless steel that will stand up to the wild atlantic. Any regular galvanised steel would rust in 3-4 years in an exposed location like that and become a danger to users. They have €257,000 for 35 locations (as mentioned in the article) so that's only a little over 7k each if distributed evenly. Anyone have a link to the artist sketch to get an idea of how big it is as it could cost 50-100k depending on it's size. What will be built will probably have a steel mesh floor not glass due to cost or be a lot smaller than planned.

Still think it's a great idea if it's done right.

A steel mesh floor over the sea? Surely it has to be glass.

muddle84

Dudda wrote: »

Think it's a great idea. When you are building on a cliff with something lightweight like a viewing deck you can pretty much bolt it to the existing stone and have tiny pad foundations. The impact will be minimum presuming its designed right and built right. The problem is cost. Glass you can walk on is ridiculously expensive compared to regular glass and all the structure will have to be high grade stainless steel that will stand up to the wild atlantic. Any regular galvanised steel would rust in 3-4 years in an exposed location like that and become a danger to users. They have €257,000 for 35 locations (as mentioned in the article) so that's only a little over 7k each if distributed evenly. Anyone have a link to the artist sketch to get an idea of how big it is as it could cost 50-100k depending on it's size. What will be built will probably have a steel mesh floor not glass due to cost or be a lot smaller than planned.

Still think it's a great idea if it's done right.

Regardless of what its made of they will have to get the materials there in the first place and a crane to lift it all into place. They would have to make a road up there to do that or lift it all in with a helicopter. I have attached one of the artists inpressions i seen on facebook looks to be all glass. the glass would take alot to maintained/ cleaned aswell. it will be interesting to see what happens. Apparently they wont be making the area any more accesible than it already is. If you want to get up to platform you would still have to climb!

muddle84

irishgeo wrote: »

A steel mesh floor over the sea? Surely it has to be glass.

Why?

irishgeo

muddle84 wrote: »

Why?

Your going to be looking out the floor over the edge of the cliff.

muddle84

irishgeo wrote: »

Your going to be looking out the floor over the edge of the cliff.

I see what your saying but considering that you have to hike through a bog to get to it. The glass wouldnt be clean enough to see through for too long. Where as with mesh all the much falls through!

irishgeo

muddle84 wrote: »

I see what your saying but considering that you have to hike through a bog to get to it. The glass wouldnt be clean enough to see through for too long. Where as with mesh all the much falls through!

no one is going to going to want to walk on mesh over the edge of a cliff man. its by the sea the mesh will have rusted in a few years.

its clearly glass on picture posted above.

nuac

muddle84 wrote: »

There was no look out buildings though were there? The only building up there is the world war 2 look out post. I agree it would be a great thin gif it could be built without any damage.

It is amazing the amount of history in that small bay.

No, there was no lookout building there. A man stood high on the cliff and signalled it he saw the basking shark

In reply to Irishgeo I think the building down at the shore was to store some equipment

A German company made a film on catching basking sharks there in the fifties. I think it was called Shark Island.

Joe Sweeney Achill Sound exported the products including shark oil. The business is still there. They may know where a copy of the film can be got

irishgeo

nuac wrote: »

No, there was no lookout building there. A man stood high on the cliff and signalled it he saw the basking shark

In reply to Irishgeo I think the building down at the shore was to store some equipment

A German company made a film on catching basking sharks there in the fifties. I think it was called Shark Island.

Joe Sweeney Achill Sound exported the products including shark oil. The business is still there. They may know where a copy of the film can be got

alan gielty snr was on nationwide or some program like that on about basking shark and he said he used to stand in the house door on the beach waiting for the shark too come in.

muddle84

irishgeo wrote: »

no one is going to going to want to walk on mesh over the edge of a cliff man. its by the sea the mesh will have rusted in a few years.

its clearly glass on picture posted above.

Like I said , I see what you are saying. But I think mesh would be a better option. Neither of us are the design team so it doesn't really matter. Just my opinion! Glass would look better, but would be alot higher maintenance. If the mesh was made out of the right grade of stainless steel, it would never rust.

nuac wrote: »

No, there was no lookout building there. A man stood high on the cliff and signalled it he saw the basking shark

In reply to Irishgeo I think the building down at the shore was to store some equipment

A German company made a film on catching basking sharks there in the fifties. I think it was called Shark Island.

Joe Sweeney Achill Sound exported the products including shark oil. The business is still there. They may know where a copy of the film can be got

The sweeney family still own the little house on the beach. My mother has often told me stories of the stink off the lorries transporting the oil and carcasses was rank.

Apparently anybody working there was very well paid for the time.

kippy

I have to admit I thought this idea can out of thin air but somebody told me a few days ago that it's been brought about as because of the Wild Atlantic way and Keem being a major point on this way.

The area they are proposing to put the platform is a fair hike up a hill at the end of the beach so I don't believe you'd be able to see it from the beach or access to the beach (which is a good thing)

There will obviously be some construction work and changing of the cliff at the top of the hill but nothing major from what I can see, so again all good.
The only issue is how they are going to manage access to it, as I said it is a fair climb from the beach unless they are going to put in place some kind of path (which I believe they will be obliged to do under health and safety).
This might be an issue but again it depends on how they do this.

Overall I think it's a great idea and would be beneficial to the island in general.
HOWEVER,
There are a number of issues on the island that deserve spending money on BEFORE this.
1. The old Village inn site - fill it in, cover it up, make it look nice. It's seven odd years since this hole in the ground was created and it ruins the look of keel, as well being safety issue. This site is in the ownership of the council for a few years now.
2. "Achillhenge" - how I hate that name. Apparently the council want to knock it. I say, tidy it up, "finish it" and leave it as is. A lot of people still want to look at this site. That or tear it to the ground but dont leave it as is.
3. Extend the greenway onto the Island - I believe there are still plans for this.
4. Look into a "visitor" centre for the Island that contains all the artifcats, history and information in one place.
Then maybe look at this "viewing platform" - although the views are spectacular with or without it.

Dudda

I suggested mesh first because walk on glass is very very expensive, incredibly hard to keep clean and gets very slippy. If you try and sand blast it or put a slip resistant finish on it then its harder to see through and gathers more dirt. Mesh is slip resistant, very low maintenance and a hell of a lot cheaper and can still look good. Here's an example



Now back to the artist sketch. It won't look like that as that's pretty big and very expensive looking. It will probably end up something similar to the Ceide Fields viewing point. I still think it will be good as anything that helps tourism in the area is good.

kippy

Again,
Access is the Key,
Very easy access the one in the Ceide fields, both for construction and ongoing access.

Kristopherus

kippy wrote: »

Again,
Access is the Key,
Very easy access the one in the Ceide fields, both for construction and ongoing access.

Whats holding up the Greenway? Is it still being held up by the German woman?

kippy

Kristopherus wrote: »

Whats holding up the Greenway? Is it still being held up by the German woman?

Well they've managed to sort out the issues in Tonragee by moving the road from what I can see however technically the greenway only goes as far as the bridge.
From what I can tell there are no moves currently to get it onto the Island but I have heard a plan is in place to get that done. No idea of any holdups.

muddle84

kippy wrote: »

There are a number of issues on the island that deserve spending money on BEFORE this.
1. The old Village inn site - fill it in, cover it up, make it look nice. It's seven odd years since this hole in the ground was created and it ruins the look of keel, as well being safety issue. This site is in the ownership of the council for a few years now.
2. "Achillhenge" - how I hate that name. Apparently the council want to knock it. I say, tidy it up, "finish it" and leave it as is. A lot of people still want to look at this site. That or tear it to the ground but dont leave it as is.
3. Extend the greenway onto the Island - I believe there are still plans for this.
4. Look into a "visitor" centre for the Island that contains all the artifcats, history and information in one place.
Then maybe look at this "viewing platform" - although the views are spectacular with or without it.

I think the coulcil have taken over the village inn site now from nama. So I would hope they do something about that now. Its a horrible eyesore and was a great pub!

I think the greenway onto the island is planned to start next year.

kippy wrote: »

Again,
Access is the Key,
Very easy access the one in the Ceide fields, both for construction and ongoing access.

There is no requirement to improve access to the platform. If you can get to the lookout now you will be able to get to the platform, if you can't get to the look out now, you won't be able to get to the platform.
However, there is an old path running from the old coast guard building up to the lookout, there is talk of this being done up.

muddle84

kippy wrote: »

Well they've managed to sort out the issues in Tonragee by moving the road from what I can see however technically the greenway only goes as far as the bridge.
From what I can tell there are no moves currently to get it onto the Island but I have heard a plan is in place to get that done. No idea of any holdups.

It stops in polranny, the German woman won't let it through her land. Its the last link, it runs from the old trainstation east to the edge of her land and stops on the other side of her land. So I think they are still trying to negotiate with that family.

kippy

muddle84 wrote: »

It stops in polranny, the German woman won't let it through her land. Its the last link, it runs from the old trainstation east to the edge of her land and stops on the other side of her land. So I think they are still trying to negotiate with that family.

Ah ok,
never been to the end of it, thanks for the clairification.

kippy

muddle84 wrote: »

I think the coulcil have taken over the village inn site now from nama. So I would hope they do something about that now. Its a horrible eyesore and was a great pub!

I think the greenway onto the island is planned to start next year.



There is no requirement to improve access to the platform. If you can get to the lookout now you will be able to get to the platform, if you can't get to the look out now, you won't be able to get to the platform.
However, there is an old path running from the old coast guard building up to the lookout, there is talk of this being done up.

They've had the site for a while now (the council), a least a year I believe and still no sign of anything happening unfortunately.
It's a fair climb - if they do up a path at all it will require handrails, accessibility etc etc
It depends on how they do it to be honest.

irishgeo

kippy wrote: »

They've had the site for a while now (the council), a least a year I believe and still no sign of anything happening unfortunately.
It's a fair climb - if they do up a path at all it will require handrails, accessibility etc etc
It depends on how they do it to be honest.

The council only moved this year to take over the site.
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21222:council-move-to-compulsorily-acquire-derelict-keel-site&catid=23:news&Itemid=46

kippy

irishgeo wrote: »

The council only moved this year to take over the site.
http://www.mayonews.ie/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=21222:council-move-to-compulsorily-acquire-derelict-keel-site&catid=23:news&Itemid=46

Was full sure they could and did acquire it after 5 years of dereliction.
It's a disgrace it has take so long to sort out.

irishgeo

kippy wrote: »

Was full sure they could and did acquire it after 5 years of dereliction.
It's a disgrace it has take so long to sort out.

they asked joe nicely would he clean it up.:rolleyes:

the council are paying for the steel piles holding the road up they do in fact own it.

the way it s gone now the pub would be a goldmine in the summer, although i heard a rumour the minauin view bar might be reopening.