Limerick City Footbridge

sumtings

sumtings wrote: »

There is an image of Nicolas Street in tthe evening and its deserted, doesn't the castle close at 16:30 or do the hours change in the summer?

Checked the website, last admision is 4pm all year round and agree the blog is spot on.

http://shannonheritage.com/KingJohnsCastle/

sioda

Website is wrong they are open until 7 or 8 during the summer season.

sumtings

And I learned something

Named after the city of Limerick, whose Irish name possibly means "bare spot". The Vikings called it Hlymrekr, which might be a transliteration of the Irish or could mean "mighty noise" from Old Norse hlym ("noise") and rekr ("mighty").

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Etymological_list_of_counties_of_Ireland

zulutango

I'd say it's more likely that Limerick and Hlymrekr are linked. Limerick wasn't an Irish settlement so it doesn't make much sense that it would have a Gaelic name.

Red King

Can we rename the place to Hlymrekr?

zulutango

Red King wrote: »

Can we rename the place to Hlymrekr?

I'm all for that.

jmch81

Red King wrote: »

Can we rename the place to Hlymrekr?

I'm calling on the City to be renamed after JFK, along with the renaming of Shannon bridge, Shannon Airport and any other items that may be lying around.


Would be good for the tourism.

Red King

The pro-bridge crowds latest argument seems to be "if we don't use this money it will not be allocated for other things."

The veil slips. Grab the money lads and fill your pockets, planning be damned.

zulutango

Red King wrote: »

The pro-bridge crowds latest argument seems to be "if we don't use this money it will not be allocated for other things."

The veil slips. Grab the money lads and fill your pockets, planning be damned.

The other argument seems to be "there's a lovely bridge in UL, so one would be lovely in the city too". These are the brains that are ruining running the city.

Vanquished

Red King wrote: »

The pro-bridge crowds latest argument seems to be "if we don't use this money it will not be allocated for other things."

The veil slips. Grab the money lads and fill your pockets, planning be damned.

Which is a pathetic and ludicrous argument when you consider that Bord Failte are responsible for a significant portion of the funding. It's not as if there's a lack of other worthy tourism related projects that the money could be used for. Rehabilitation and promotion of Nicholas Street, revamp of the Potato Market site etc.

zulutango wrote: »

The other argument seems to be "there's a lovely bridge in UL, so one would be lovely in the city too". These are the brains that are ruining running the city.

Yeah the happy clappers seem to be getting a bit disgruntled with the opposition to the plan. Using the bridge in a leafy setting like UL to justify a project in a sensitive, historic urban location is just embarrassing! Clutching at straws big time there!

Red King

Without naming individuals you don't have to dig far to see the usual cronies lining up to promote this - Limerick Post, Limerick Leader, Live 95fm, Limerick Marketing Company etc

And the people pushing this have frequently been employed by a number of the above.

I'm sick of the incestuous cronyism of the establishment in Limerick. It is high time that this cartel got challenged because as things stand, a very small number of people are dictating the conversation and direction of this city and from what I can see it is less to do with making the best decisions for the greater good and more to do with protecting the status quo and jobs for the boys.

Time to blow the lid off this racket.

jbkenn

Red King wrote: »

Without naming individuals you don't have to dig far to see the usual cronies lining up to promote this - Limerick Post, Limerick Leader, Live 95fm, Limerick Marketing Company etc.

Whatever about the rest, I don't think the blame for this lies with The Limerick Marketing Company aka (The rest home for ex Shannon Development bewildered), i think it has been quietly kicked to touch and the head numbnut has been transferred to 2 i/c Rent Allowance.
http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/business-news/109053/Reshuffle-of-senior-management-at-Limerick.html

stefanovich

Red King wrote: »

Time to blow the lid off this racket.

How?

Townie_P

I don't have a problem with the proposed footbridge at all. I think most people are over reacting to it based on the poor quality mock ups that have been circulated in the media. I don't have an issue with a modern bridge meeting the old architecture of the custom house and castle - modern architecture is all about marrying the old with new. Sarsfield House is being demolished once the Opera site is finished, Arthurs Quay Park is also getting a complete rejuvenation. That whole area is being opened up and will look completely different to what it is now. Rather than over reacting with hyperbole, I'd rather wait and see what the actual bridge is going to look like (because it hasn't even been designed yet) and how it will look in conjunction with the other changes on the waterfront. I see people calling the bridge a 'monstrosity' already, even though they haven't actually seen it and the thing hasn't even been designed :P

Also, having spoken to a fair few people on this, most business owners and stakeholders in the city are at least open to the idea of the bridge. There seems to be a 50-50 split when it comes to ordinary folk, some for it, some against. But like most things like this in life, it is those who are against it that tend to shout the loudest. However I do not believe that there is the level of opposition to the bridge that some would like to have you believe.

jbkenn

Townie_P wrote: »

Also, having spoken to a fair few people on this, most business owners and stakeholders in the city are at least open to the idea of the bridge.

Who are these stakeholders?

Townie_P

jbkenn wrote: »

Who are these stakeholders?

Business owners, property owners, hoteliers, estate agents etc etc.

Special Circumstances

Townie_P wrote: »

Business owners, property owners, hoteliers, estate agents etc etc.

You're a busy man! Very very busy if the opinions you've heard are just part of small talk.

jbkenn

Townie_P wrote: »

Business owners, property owners, hoteliers, estate agents etc etc.

I see, so stakeholders are what we used to call "vested interests".

Townie_P

Special Circumstances wrote: »

You're a busy man! Very very busy if the opinions you've heard are just part of small talk.

I am indeed a very busy man, and very well informed. I'm not going to reveal how I get my info or what I do. You can choose to believe what you like, or whether it's garnered from 'small talk' or not.

jbkenn wrote: »

I see, so stakeholders are what we used to call "vested interests".

A stakeholder is always a vested interest. So who else does a proposed city centre bridge project mainly affect aside from the previously mentioned stakeholders and the residents of the city/county?

zulutango

Can you name a single business person who is in favour of the bridge?

Townie_P

zulutango wrote: »

Can you name a single business person who is in favour of the bridge?

I can but I'm not a spokesperson for anyone so I won't be naming any names. Maybe Live95 or the Leader/Post should do a piece on it to publicly gauge the feeling in the city.

zulutango

Townie_P wrote:

I can but I'm not a spokesperson for anyone so I won't be naming any names. Maybe Live95 or the Leader/Post should do a piece on it to publicly gauge the feeling in the city.

Maybe there should be a plebiscite? I'd bet more than 90% of people are against. I've really struggled to find anybody in favour. In fact, I haven't found a single person who thinks it's a good idea and I've discussed it with plenty.

strettie

Interesting to read Limerick Leader article from 2014 on proposed bridge

http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/business-news/108317/Plans-for-footbridge-in-Limerick-to.html

EXCITING plans are being put in place for a footbridge connecting Arthur’s Quay to King John’s Castle.

Limerick City and County Council’s economic department has launched a feasibility study with Failte Ireland to deliver a an “iconic” footbridge, potentially based on Derry’s Peace Bridge.

Outgoing economic director Tom Enright says the project is “something that could really change the face of the city centre”.

He says the project - estimated cost €3m - could be delivered in just three years, and at a relatively small cost. He said at present, access from Arthur’s Quay to King John’s Castle is complicated, with tourists having to travel past Sarsfield House and down Nicholas Street, before getting to a site he describes as “he main tourist attraction in the city”.

“What we are looking at is, rather than having a river walk, which is what we have done with the boardwalks, we are looking to run a bridge from Arthur’s Quay,” he explained.

Mr Enright - who hands over the economic portfolio to regeneration director Oliver O’Loughlin from Monday - hopes the bridge will be a real landmark for the city, pointing to the success the Living Bridge at UL has enjoyed. He hopes a competition process to come up with a design can begin soon.

Referring to Derry’s Peace bridge, he says: “I think what we are looking at is a smaller version of that. Something which changes shape between horizontal and vertical.”

The weir in place around that part of the Shannon could be used as part support for the bridge, he says.

“At night-time if you are driving into the city across the Shannon Bridge, you will see this fabulous structure on the water. It is not huge money, and I think it will happen fairly quickly,” Mr Enright predicted.

With only limited parking available around the castle area, Arthur’s Quay could be used as a drop-off area for tourists to complete the rest of the route on foot.

“What you have here is a river footbridge, which will invite you from the city square to walk and take in the scenery,” he said.

Under the Limerick 2030 economic plan, the tax office Sarsfield House will be demolished to create a ‘front garden for the city’.

Although the economic director has admitted this is still some years away, he said it will be worth the wait.

From Arthur’s Quay Park, “you will see the castle, the cathedral, the river and the courthouse, which will be the seat of local government.”

Meanwhile, another city project could get under way later this year.

The Hanging Gardens development at Henry Street has lain idle since its original developer Robert Butler fell into financial difficulties, and his companies went into NAMA.

The site went on the market for almost €1 million earlier this year, and Mr Enright is confident it will get a new lease of life soon.

strettie

Maybe some people have seen this already but in December 2014 there was a freedom of information request to the Transport minister in relation to the funding of the footbridge

Part 2 file page 5 is interesting as it shows the original design proposals from Limerick city council for the bridge and the reasons for the footbridge

FOI Request Part 1

FOI Request Part 2

OfTheMarsWongs

If they hadn't incorporated Castle Lane into the Castle experience they could have reopened the path through the town hall and up the side of the castle. Would be a cheaper option.

I think that a tourist trail incorporating the Hunt Museum and cathedral makes more sense than bypassing them.

OfTheMarsWongs

strettie wrote: »

“At night-time if you are driving into the city across the Shannon Bridge, you will see this fabulous structure on the water. It is not huge money, and I think it will happen fairly quickly,” Mr Enright predicted.

Are they planning on fitting Sarsfield Bridge and the boat club with a giant invisibly cloak?

Vanquished

These are the three design options that are up for consideration. From what I can gather the preferred option is to be presented next month.

Poxyshamrock

Christ above, they get significantly worse. What's worse is that it literally only goes from Arthur's Quay to the back of the courthouse? I thought it was supposed to go all the way to the castle.

sumtings

Its landing on one of my favourit spots for having a sit down to enjoy the river in Limerick!

phog

Vanquished wrote: »

These are the three design options that are up for consideration. From what I can gather the preferred option is to be presented next month.

Open up the walk around Sarsfield House to Silvester O'Halloran bridge and there's no need top build any of the three options in your post.