Limerick City Footbridge

Cookiemunster

mart 23 wrote: »

Why put a bridge there , when we have 2 bridges which more or less serve that purpose. I think the present proposal will be great for the city and tourism.

Tourists aren't going to come to Limerick to see a bridge. A pedestrian/cyclist bridge that actually crosses the Shannon would actually be of some use. Unlike this vanity project.

zulutango

mart 23 wrote: »

Why put a bridge there , when we have 2 bridges which more or less serve that purpose. I think the present proposal will be great for the city and tourism.

They seem to be determined to build a bridge, so the better site is clearly the Cleeves to Howley's Quay one, especially in light of the long term plans for Cleeves.

How do you think the bridge in the proposed location will be good for tourism? Do you think tourists will thank us for building a huge steel structure across one of the most impressive medieval vistas in Europe?

The plan is borne out of ignorance and stupidity, and there's a very high chance that An Bord Pleanála will put a stop to it if the Councillors or the city management won't. Of course quite a few million of taxpayers money will have gone down the drain by then. Will that be a resigning matter for those who have pushed this project? It should be.

TonyCliftonEsq

Some of the things that get nominated as "great for tourism" in Limerick makes me wonder if the people involved have ever actually been a tourist themselves.

mart 23

Why have the City Councillors the right to block this footbridge proposal?.

Cookiemunster

mart 23 wrote: »

Why have the City Councillors the right to block this footbridge proposal?.

Because they're the democratically elected representatives of the people of Limerick. They have little enough power, but thankfully they still have some say in things.

DeWinterZero

Most of the year all the footbridge will be used for is helping the staff & Councillors in City hall get into town quicker on their lunch breaks. Except on those rare days days when the rain is blowing horizontal.

zulutango

Cookiemunster wrote:

Because they're the democratically elected representatives of the people of Limerick. They have little enough power, but thankfully they still have some say in things.

Will the councillors snub JP McManus though?

Cookiemunster

zulutango wrote: »

Will the councillors snub JP McManus though?

From what I can see there are plenty of councillors against this. The question is are there enough?

The story made the Six One News tonight.

PetKing

Cookiemunster wrote:

The story made the Six One News tonight.

Story of the proposed bridge, or the opposition to it?

zulutango

Cookiemunster wrote: »

From what I can see there are plenty of councillors against this. The question is are there enough?

Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have a majority on the Council and will likely vote in favour of it. The only one of them who has come out against it is Michael Sheehan, the former metropolitan mayor, but I've no doubt they'll twist his arm.

Vanquished

There really is a nauseating amount of delusionary drivel being spouted by council officials and some elected representatives in relation to this project. The manner in which a generic modern bridge is being spun as such a panacea for Limerick is extraordinary! Structures like this are found all over the place. There are even examples on this very island such as the peace bridge in Derry or the Sean O'Casey and Samuel Beckett bridges in Dublin. Are we honestly expected to believe that building our own lump of swirly steelwork and cables is going to somehow transform Limerick in to a must visit tourist destination?!

The council executive seem absolutely resolute in their determination to push this project through without ever actually explaining why. Is pressure being applied by this "anonymous" benefactor?

It's also extremely irritating to see this bridge being inaccurately trumpeted as a critical element of the Limerick 2030 plan when in fact it was never included in the original document. That whole strategy is in serious danger of unravelling I fear!

zulutango

Healy Partners are proposing an alternative. I don't think there's a great case for anything to happen in this location, but at least it picks up on the overwhelming negative commentary about the bridge and puts pressure on the Council to rethink their plan.

http://www.healypartners.com/#!LIMERICK-FOOTBRIDGE-An-Alternative-Approach/bzoyw/5774dece0cf249bc24550039

Edit: The Limerick Leader (on pages 6 & 7 of the city edition) are hailing this as the best way forward, and are calling it The People's Bridge. I'm dubious. There's a good article by Hugh Murray in there too.

Mc Love

I like the bumpy bit and the option of having a performance space!

MarkR

Mc Love wrote: »

I like the bumpy bit and the option of having a performance space!

Lads, we all know we can't have drunk people on a bridge (go on, tell me there will be no drink at a performance!). People will be falling in left, right, and centre!

TonyCliftonEsq

The People don't want a bridge.

Establishment brainwave - Let's call it the People's Bridge.

pigtown

I really like that proposal from Healy Partners. It's much more innovative and would prove a much bigger draw for people than a bridge. It would also preserve the view.

I still think though that if people are dead set on building a bridge it should be a pedestrian/bike bridge to the Cleeves site.

Townie_P

MarkR wrote: »

Lads, we all know we can't have drunk people on a bridge (go on, tell me there will be no drink at a performance!). People will be falling in left, right, and centre!

Ridiculous statement. Even more ridiculous than those saying a new bridge = more suicides :rolleyes:

pigtown wrote: »

I really like that proposal from Healy Partners. It's much more innovative and would prove a much bigger draw for people than a bridge. It would also preserve the view.

I still think though that if people are dead set on building a bridge it should be a pedestrian/bike bridge to the Cleeves site.

I prefer the boardwalk option as it is far more suited to that specific location. There are some top class on-the-river boardwalks worldwide, and they are always a hive of activity, events and a genuine addition to any city. It would be great for Limerick, never mind tourism.

That said I do agree with the principle of the bridge project, which is to give Limerick a wow factor architectural design piece on the river. I've always thought the Shannon Bridge was ripe for a cosmetic make over. It's perfectly located and for such a prime bridge in the city centre, it is exceptionally ugly and uninspiring. It's awful and such a wasted opportunity. I'd love to see the project being a combination of this bridge being given the 'wow' cosmetic design makeover (with added cycle & pedestrian lanes) and the on-the-river boardwalk.

sumtings

Townie_P wrote: »

Ridiculous statement. Even more ridiculous than those saying a new bridge = more suicides :rolleyes:



I prefer the boardwalk option as it is far more suited to that specific location. There are some top class on-the-river boardwalks worldwide, and they are always a hive of activity, events and a genuine addition to any city. It would be great for Limerick, never mind tourism.

That said I do agree with the principle of the bridge project, which is to give Limerick a wow factor architectural design piece on the river. I've always thought the Shannon Bridge was ripe for a cosmetic make over. It's perfectly located and for such a prime bridge in the city centre, it is exceptionally ugly and uninspiring. It's awful and such a wasted opportunity. I'd love to see the project being a combination of this bridge being given the 'wow' cosmetic design makeover (with added cycle & pedestrian lanes) and the on-the-river boardwalk.

The thing is that it is not ugly where they are proposing to put it, its ugly further downstream where they ruined the river front during the boom.

zulutango

Lots of fairly respected people are against the bridge.

Here's an article from Hugh Murray, formerly of Murray O'Laoire architects - http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/city/210321/limerick-needs-and-deserves-a-better.html

MrJones2013

zulutango wrote: »

Lots of fairly respected people are against the bridge.

Here's an article from Hugh Murray, formerly of Murray O'Laoire architects - http://www.limerickleader.ie/news/city/210321/limerick-needs-and-deserves-a-better.html

A lot of people are against it, I wouldn't be totally for it myself to be honest. If they do go down the route of a footbridge I would be more in favour of the Healy Partners 'alternative approach' proposal but no doubt that proposal would be much more costly.

Regarding Limerick 2030 which was mentioned in the article, is this still going ahead or is it becoming more and more of a pipe dream?

It's good to see people giving there opinion though and more proposals/concepts being put forward. The city is in desperate need of a shake up/rejuvenating.

thesimpsons

I walked along Clancy Strand and over Sarsfield Bridge to the city centre today - don't do it often enough really. Apart from the blight that is the tax office, the views are fabulous. crying shame to think that an unneeded and unwanted bridge could block out this view. a pedestrian bridge halfway between Sarsfield and Shannon bridges actually crossing the water would be far better idea and use of the money imo

zulutango

MrJones2013 wrote:

Regarding Limerick 2030 which was mentioned in the article, is this still going ahead or is it becoming more and more of a pipe dream?

The Limerick 2030 document was really only a starting point. It was very short on specifics, and a follow up was required. It just threw some decent ideas out there. The Council have totally misinterpreted it though. I'm not sure how many people in city hall have actually read it, but very few I'd imagine. The senior management are waving it around as if it's full of detailed plans. The funny thing is they're pretending the footbridge was in it, when they're wasn't a single mention of it. This is Limerick Council at its blundering best.

MrJones2013

zulutango wrote: »

The Limerick 2030 document was really only a starting point. It was very short on specifics, and a follow up was required. It just threw some decent ideas out there. The Council have totally misinterpreted it though. I'm not sure how many people in city hall have actually read it, but very few I'd imagine. The senior management are waving it around as if it's full of detailed plans. The funny thing is they're pretending the footbridge was in it, when they're wasn't a single mention of it. This is Limerick Council at its blundering best.

It threw some really good ideas out there and at least a group of people had the foresight to put something on the table to work towards because Limerick desperately needs it. Has there been any group assigned to get this off the ground and push the projects through or is it still in its infancy/may never go ahead? I know I sound awfully negative but it's frustrating looking at the potential this city has!

zulutango

MrJones2013 wrote:

It threw some really good ideas out there and at least a group of people had the foresight to put something on the table to work towards because Limerick desperately needs it. Has there been any group assigned to get this off the ground and push the projects through or is it still in its infancy/may never go ahead? I know I sound awfully negative but it's frustrating looking at the potential this city has!

Well, there are no actual projects other than a suggestion that the area around Arthur's Quay should be remodeled. It doesn't say exactly how other than that there should be a plaza of some sort.

The Council, as usual, are advancing things in secret.

MrJones2013

zulutango wrote: »

Well, there are no actual projects other than a suggestion that the area around Arthur's Quay should be remodeled. It doesn't say exactly how other than that there should be a plaza of some sort.

The Council, as usual, are advancing things in secret.

I was in Cork at the weekend and it was my first time in the city centre down there for over s year or two and the place was buzzing on Saturday despite the weather. Opera Lane and Patrick Street and the numerous side streets were bustling. I think it's been a long time since I Limerick has had that kind of buzz on a random Saturday afternoon. I know Cork had a much bigger population but Limerick city and the surrounding region has a large enough population but with a poor selection of shops and the crescent so close to the city centre there isn't a whole pile to entice you in to town.

The city has so much potential, I really hope that anything the council is advancing will help breathe life back in to the city centre.

PetKing

MrJones2013 wrote:

I was in Cork at the weekend and it was my first time in the city centre down there for over s year or two and the place was buzzing on Saturday despite the weather. Opera Lane and Patrick Street and the numerous side streets were bustling. I think it's been a long time since I Limerick has had that kind of buzz on a random Saturday afternoon. I know Cork had a much bigger population but Limerick city and the surrounding region has a large enough population but with a poor selection of shops and the crescent so close to the city centre there isn't a whole pile to entice you in to town.

That's why we're getting a bridge to look at King John's castle from another angle. Simples!

enterprise2017

where on earth did you find these beautiful photos?

May I share them?

Vanquished wrote: »

I think the problem with Sarsfield House is its sheer size. Its bulk and massing just makes it too much of a dominant feature in what is a fairly sensitive location. It overshadows the Custom House Park and inhibits its attractiveness as a public space. The building also occupies a site that offers some of the best panoramic views of the Shannon, the castle, Curragour falls etc yet access is restricted.

Sarsfield house was built in two phases between the late 1960s and mid 1970s on a site previously occupied by a number of stone warehouses.