Limerick city absolutely booming

Silentcorner

goochy wrote: »

How long did it take for limerick to sort out gang problem ? Answer too long and it still has a stigma attached to it . It could have been sorted 10 years earlier. I am a dub myself now living in cork. While there's plenty of decent people in dublin unfortunately it has a huge scumbag population you just don't find in other cities .

Im not sure if this is the thread for this discussion...but Limerick's image problem surfaced in the early 80s, Limerick went from being known as a deeply religious city to a vicious city in the space of a few years, so this image problem is now about 35 years old....New York had an image problem that lasted about 20 years.

The city has always had a problem with a particular demographic with sporadic spikes in serious crimes, then one particular family moved into to Limerick in around 2000 and quickly things got very serious, by 2010 they were all locked up, it has been over 6 years since Limericks last "gangland" murder...

Limericks image problem is never going to go away, it will always exist it will just vary in degrees of seriousness, it is a cultural issue, not a crime issue.

KingBrian2

Silentcorner wrote: »

Im not sure if this is the thread for this discussion...but Limerick's image problem surfaced in the early 80s, Limerick went from being known as a deeply religious city to a vicious city in the space of a few years, so this image problem is now about 35 years old....New York had an image problem that lasted about 20 years.

The city has always had a problem with a particular demographic with sporadic spikes in serious crimes, then one particular family moved into to Limerick in around 2000 and quickly things got very serious, by 2010 they were all locked up, it has been over 6 years since Limericks last "gangland" murder...

Limericks image problem is never going to go away, it will always exist it will just vary in degrees of seriousness, it is a cultural issue, not a crime issue.

There is nothing in the water that makes it culturally close to criminality. Criminals follow the money trail. Where ever their is a lot of money it finds it's way into the black market. Limerick is no exception.

Your saying Limerick people are corrupt. I completely disagree with you. They don't have a magnet that brings all this crime to the city. A lot of criminal organizations set themselves up in ideal lovely places like Limerick or Dublin. The hardcore criminals come out of prison and criminal population doubles. Nothing related to culture.

Silentcorner

KingBrian2 wrote: »

There is nothing in the water that makes it culturally close to criminality. Criminals follow the money trail. Where ever their is a lot of money it finds it's way into the black market. Limerick is no exception.

Your saying Limerick people are corrupt. I completely disagree with you. They don't have a magnet that brings all this crime to the city. A lot of criminal organizations set themselves up in ideal lovely places like Limerick or Dublin. The hardcore criminals come out of prison and criminal population doubles. Nothing related to culture.

You've got me all wrong, I am not suggesting that at all.

I am suggesting that it is a much deeper issue than just a crime issue, there is no justification for a city this size, or any size for that matter, to have an image problem for 35 years...but yet it has one for 35 years...and counting.

The reason is a much broader cultural issue, that exists in media and in the minds of healthy percentage of Irish people who have taken this image problem and brought with them all over the world...for an image problem to exist, you need a media who are willing to push it and a population who are willing to believe it.

The image problem, needs to be seperated from the crime issue because for me it has stopped us having a healthy debate on how to help people living in vulnerable parts of our city...but this isn't the thread for that discussion.

Special Circumstances

KingBrian2 wrote: »

Your saying Limerick people are corrupt.

This thread has now reached the traditional final chapter of any thread about positive developments in limerick. Tragic misinterpretation and denial of ANY social issues in limerick.

JCX BXC

I don't understand this whole dilemma! Dublin, like Limerick always had its crime gangs, and people didn't think much of them did they? Suddenly 2 internal murders and its "THE BLOODIEST WAR IN IRISH GANGLAND HISTORY" and that "DUBLIN HAS A SERIOUS GANGLAND ISSUE"

Its basically a non issue, the only peoples lives at risk are the people who have put them at risk by involving themselves in then business. There won't be a sudden killing spree either, if even there may be another murder and there's nothing the Gardai can do to stop it besides guard the funeral and keep there ears open.

Kingbrian I also think you only came on here to make a game of Limerick, which your doing very poorly. Either that or your hopelessly ignorant.

MrJones2013

Carnacalla wrote: »

I don't understand this whole dilemma! Dublin, like Limerick always had its crime gangs, and people didn't think much of them did they? Suddenly 2 internal murders and its "THE BLOODIEST WAR IN IRISH GANGLAND HISTORY" and that "DUBLIN HAS A SERIOUS GANGLAND ISSUE"

Its basically a non issue, the only peoples lives at risk are the people who have put them at risk by involving themselves in then business. There won't be a sudden killing spree either, if even there may be another murder and there's nothing the Gardai can do to stop it besides guard the funeral and keep there ears open.

Kingbrian I also think you only came on here to make a game of Limerick, which your doing very poorly. Either that or your hopelessly ignorant.

Folks, folks, what happened to the 'Limerick city absolutely booming' conversation which is what this thread is about, this has totally gone off topic!

We could definitely do with improving the quality of the living accomodation in the city centre. People are never going to be enticed in to living in the city centre if the only properties available are low end and run down.

Red King

timesnewroman wrote: »

Its that kind of mindset that has the city center looking "tacky" - think Cruises Hotel, Cannocks/Penneys to cite two examples.

The reason William St isn't easy on the eye, in my opinion, is the neglected state of a number of its buildings and some of the God awful shopfronts on it.

Jesus I wasn't actually serious I actually agree the problem is the neglect and the shops. The building's need a renovation and an effort to attract better quality stores.

sleepyman

Yeah.The thread is totally gone off topic.As mentioned before I'd like the council to be more pro-active in cleaning derelict sites.
I think an indoor arena with a capacity of 6,000-10,000 could really work.
I'd like to see something done with the sites down from where Clohessys was also

MrJones2013

sleepyman wrote: »

Yeah.The thread is totally gone off topic.As mentioned before I'd like the council to be more pro-active in cleaning derelict sites.
I think an indoor arena with a capacity of 6,000-10,000 could really work.
I'd like to see something done with the sites down from where Clohessys was also

They definitely need to be pro-active in the cleaning of derelict sites. One that springs to mind also is the old Dunnes building on Sarsfield Street, it is awful looking. I know there was images of this being renovated on the Limerick 2030 launch. Is there anything mapped out for this yet?

jimgoose

Was there a neutron bomb attack on the Jetland Centre on the Ennis Road? I was in there with the mother a couple of weeks back and I never saw anything so miserable yet large in my life. No restaurant either, the two of us nearly died of hunger until we made it back out Castletroy direction to civilisation! :pac:

moleyv

I think a big problem before was that the city and county councils were essentially competing for rates.

There was no joined up thinking or coordination for retail, office space etc. The city lost out.

phill106

jimgoose wrote: »

Was there a neutron bomb attack on the Jetland Centre on the Ennis Road? I was in there with the mother a couple of weeks back and I never saw anything so miserable yet large in my life. No restaurant either, the two of nearly died of hunger until we made it back out Castletroy direction to civilisation! :pac:

isnt there a bibis up towards the top? Across from the chemist?
Plus the mcdonalds in the carpark?

jimgoose

phill106 wrote: »

isnt there a bibis up towards the top? Across from the chemist?
Plus the mcdonalds in the carpark?

BB's coffee and muffins, yes there is. We were after an actual meal.

Special Circumstances

phill106 wrote: »

isnt there a bibis up towards the top? Across from the chemist?
Plus the mcdonalds in the carpark?

And a Lidl across the road!
‘A whole prawn ring from Lidl. I can eat it in the car. Pure classy like’

um7y1h83ge06nx

One thing I would say is that there should be a ban on new greenfield commercial property.

Work with what we have through renovation and urban renewal. Far too much commercial space in this city and it's suburbs.

Be good too to get more companies like Uber to locate in the city centre. I would target tech companies, target people's inner hipster about how cool it would be to be in the city versus Raheen, Castletroy etc. Obviously it wouldn't work for bigger companies. Might result in keeping people around the city after work.

jimgoose

Special Circumstances wrote: »

And a Lidl across the road!
‘A whole prawn ring from Lidl. I can eat it in the car. Pure classy like’

Goes to show, there's a difference between 7,000 gowl students lodging in the vicinity and "booming", in my mind at any rate, unless you happen to be in the naggin-a'-vodka-and-tube-a'-Pringles trade. :pac:

Special Circumstances

jimgoose wrote: »

Goes to show, there's a difference between 7,000 gowl students lodging in the vicinity and "booming", in my mind at any rate, unless you happen to be in the naggin-a'-vodka-and-tube-a'-Pringles trade. :pac:

Get with the program kiiiid
Rag Week Specials

jimgoose

Special Circumstances wrote: »

Get with the program kiiiid
Rag Week Specials

That's Limerick Cit-AAAH. :cool:

MrJones2013

Joaquin Panicky Sewing wrote: »

One thing I would say is that there should be a ban on new greenfield commercial property.

Work with what we have through renovation and urban renewal. Far too much commercial space in this city and it's suburbs.

Be good too to get more companies like Uber to locate in the city centre. I would target tech companies, target people's inner hipster about how cool it would be to be in the city versus Raheen, Castletroy etc. Obviously it wouldn't work for bigger companies. Might result in keeping people around the city after work.

I agree with you, it'd be great to have more tech companies in there and as you say it might entice the employees to live in the city and hence spend more time in the city.

I'm probably wrong but maybe Irish people of old are not as 'comfortable' living in urban areas as other nationalities. Maybe this generation and future generations will be, but the only way to promote this and change the mind set is to modernise the accomodation available and improve the livability of the cities.

zulutango

MrJones2013 wrote: »

I'm probably wrong but maybe Irish people of old are not as 'comfortable' living in urban areas as other nationalities. Maybe this generation and future generations will be, but the only way to promote this and change the mind set is to modernise the accomodation available and improve the livability of the cities.

You're not wrong at all.

There's all kinds of reasons for that, but we certainly don't promote cities as 'livable' spaces. How many people here actually live in the city? How many of the key people in the city management live in the city? Very, very few. It's no surprise that we don't have a livable city, because that's simply not what we're trying to achieve.

MrJones2013

zulutango wrote: »

You're not wrong at all.

There's all kinds of reasons for that, but we certainly don't promote cities as 'livable' spaces. How many people here actually live in the city? How many of the key people in the city management live in the city? Very, very few. It's no surprise that we don't have a livable city, because that's simply not what we're trying to achieve.

So true, it should be the ultimate goal though and try to move away from the urban sprawl and having satellite towns growing while the city centres deteriorate.

As Super Sonic mentioned earlier there should be a ban on new greenfield commercial properties with the emphasis put on promoting the city centre.

MrJones2013

Does anyone know if the Riverpoint building is fully occupied commercially?

MichaelR

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

Yes, you can argue that they are meeting the needs of the demographics but it's a chicken/egg situation. Do people with a high disposable income choose not shop in the city centre because of the lack of quality shops or are there a lack of quality shops because those people choose not to shop here?

People with a higher disposable income tend to live in suburbs and travel by car. With Limerick's traffic and especially parking, they necessarily see city centre shopping as inconvenient.

zulutango

MichaelR wrote: »

People with a higher disposable income tend to live in suburbs and travel by car. With Limerick's traffic and especially parking, they necessarily see city centre shopping as inconvenient.

Couldn't agree more. We have a car-dependent, suburban population, and the city is struggling because of that.

The only real way to change things is to become a not-so-car-dependent suburban population. And that'll take time and direction. There's no evidence that this is even acknowledged as the problem however, so we shouldn't be too hopeful.

Poxyshamrock

MichaelR wrote: »

People with a higher disposable income tend to live in suburbs and travel by car. With Limerick's traffic and especially parking they necessarily see city centre shopping as inconvenient.

I'd disagree that Limerick has a traffic or parking problem. The reason they don't come in is the lack of things on offer/better choice in suburbs.

zulutango

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

I'd disagree that Limerick has a traffic or parking problem. The reason they don't come in is the lack of things on offer/better choice in suburbs.

It's a bit of both really, isn't it? I mean, it is a pain in the ass driving in from the suburbs and getting parking. It's quite a lot of effort, and not something many people would casually or spontaneously do. And with good shops nearby in the suburbs, with easy an access and parking, the decision for most people is easy.

The only way Limerick city centre can thrive, while at the same time having a largely suburban population, is if it has an excellent public transport system. And we don't have, and are unlikely to get that, for all kinds of reasons.

The obvious long term solution is two-fold. We must somehow switch from having a suburban population to a city centre one, or at the very least redress the balance. And, secondly, we must somehow develop a good public transport system and plan our suburbs such that providing good public transport to them is feasible.

Townie_P

jimgoose wrote: »

Was there a neutron bomb attack on the Jetland Centre on the Ennis Road? I was in there with the mother a couple of weeks back and I never saw anything so miserable yet large in my life. No restaurant either, the two of us nearly died of hunger until we made it back out Castletroy direction to civilisation! :pac:

AFAIK, Dunnes are now going to populate all the empty units in the Jetland themselves rather than rent them out. So they're going to have specific shops for their specific collections e.g. Paul Costelloe, Paul Galvin, Carolyn Donnelly, Lennon Courtney, Padraig Harrington Golf etc

MrJones2013 wrote: »

As Super Sonic mentioned earlier there should be a ban on new greenfield commercial properties with the emphasis put on promoting the city centre.

There should be a ban on office space overhead retail as well. There's buckets of office space available in the City as it is. For example there are more offices going above the now renovated old Munster Rugby store on O'Connell Street. These could easily be three floors of modern studio apartments but no, more offices that are not really needed. The council could easily be enforcing this during the planning process.

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

I'd disagree that Limerick has a traffic or parking problem. The reason they don't come in is the lack of things on offer/better choice in suburbs.

The City really needs a cinema and other leisure facilities such as a modern bowling alley etc. There is literally jot all to do in the City apart from the shops, cafés and the pubs. King Johns Castle is all there is really and that's for visiting tourists. It would be great to see a compact city centre indoor arena (as someone already mentioned) like the Echo arena in Liverpool to host music, comedy and sporting events. Or a permanent attraction like the London eye or wheel. A landmark that would stand out and make people want to visit.

I hope that if they do pedestrianise the city centre that part of that will be to encourage the cafés and pubs out on to the streets with outdoor seating and canopys. Also street buskers and musicians. Galway does this very well and it's a major factor in the 'buzz' there during the summer. Major issue with Limerick though is the complete lack of youth hostels. Limerick does miss out on a lot of touring visitors because of this. The streets of Limerick are dead enough during the summer, it'd be great to see an effort to change that.

timesnewroman

Townie_P wrote: »

The City really needs a cinema and other leisure facilities such as a modern bowling alley etc. There is literally jot all to do in the City apart from the shops, cafés and the pubs. King Johns Castle is all there is really and that's for visiting tourists. It would be great to see a compact city centre indoor arena (as someone already mentioned) like the Echo arena in Liverpool to host music, comedy and sporting events. Or a permanent attraction like the London eye or wheel. A landmark that would stand out and make people want to visit.

Agree 100% with this. I've often thought myself that there is a total lack of fun things to do in town for both visitors and locals alike. Further to your suggestions, I think a science museum would be a great addition to the city as well.

Vanquished

Poxyshamrock wrote: »

I'd disagree that Limerick has a traffic or parking problem. The reason they don't come in is the lack of things on offer/better choice in suburbs.

Absolutely. Parking and general access to it is nowhere near as big an issue as some people like to portray it as. Personally I've never had an issue finding parking in town. There are heaps of multi-storeys, not to mention on street spaces. Those who bleat on about it are typically just the serial whinge brigade who expect to be able to park up outside the shop, throw on the hazards and return 20 minutes later. The amount of this nonsense that I witnessed over the weekend on O'Connell Street, William Street, Shannon Street, Parnell Street was just absolutely pathetic!

Now clearly we should be encouraging people to use public transport as much as is feasible to get in to town but as has been mentioned before the standard and reliability of the bus service is just not up to scratch. No sign of the next phase of the bus lane on O'Connell Avenue, no sign of the Childers Road or Ennis Road lanes either. 12 years after they were first planned!

The city centre also needs to become a far more attractive environment for people to spend time in. We need more and better public spaces, improved footpaths, greater variety of services, more employment, more residential accommodation and without a doubt a far greater variety of retail.

dave 27

I totally agree with you on the cinema, I think if the focus is to have more students in the centre of town then you need more of these facilities.
I think if the plan for that plaza by Arthur's quay goes ahead with the demolition of the sarsfield house I think it would open it up more and make it more attractive.
One think I did notice from living and seeing cities all over the world is if there's open spaces in the centre of a city it does draw people there (darling harbour of Sydney is a prime example) although agreed there two completely different cities!