What is wrong with Dublin City Centre?

Walter H Price

Bambi wrote: »

Dublin CC is overrun with private accomodation these days, what housing areas are "problematic"

Gardener Street , Mountjoy Sqr , Sheriff St parts around Foley Street , Talbot Street , there blocks of flats only around the back of RCSI all around Parnell Street, Peasrse Street , Lombard Street the list goes on

harr

Was up in Dublin overnight during the week ...first time in a while..while you hear about the homelessness on news and that..I never taught much about to be honest as I lived in Dublin for a number of years and there was always a level of it...but I was quite shocked by the number on the streets not just drug users or persons with alcohol problems,all ages both men and women nearly in equal numbers and teenagers...didn't experience much aggressive begging the Irish people asking for change were actually quite polite even when I didn't have change...the foreign beggars were quite pushy because of that I declined to give them anything, Roma on dart and train pushing pack of tissues try to get you to buy...
I never feel unsafe in Dublin at any point...but Parnell Street end of O'Connell street is still a place I would feel a little less safe..
Agree with all convenience stores they are everywhere and Starbucks has just exploded everywhere...it would be a shame to see independent coffee shops close or be pushed out...all in all Dublin has the same issues as any other european city.

Dyr

Walter H Price wrote: »

Gardener Street , Mountjoy Sqr , Sheriff St parts around Foley Street , Talbot Street , there blocks of flats only around the back of RCSI all around Parnell Street, Peasrse Street , Lombard Street the list goes on

All of which have been around for decades and centuries, so we can safely discount their existence as a cause for Dublin city centre's current woes

Basically just another "I don't like povvo's" whinge.

Anything else?

Walter H Price

Bambi wrote: »

All of which have been around for decades and centuries, so we can safely discount their existence as a cause for Dublin city centre's current woes

Basically just another "I don't like povvo's" whinge.

Anything else?

there have been issues with those areas for decades , Sheriff Street , the Monto area , Parnell street all know for anti social behavior for years and yes since the 80's they have serious drug issues as well as a whole host of other social problems. As has been suggested by a few other posters i fully agree the City Center needs proper gentrification.

Dyr

Walter H Price wrote: »

there have been issues with those areas for decades , Sheriff Street , the Monto area , Parnell street all know for anti social behavior for years and yes since the 80's they have serious drug issues as well as a whole host of other social problems. As has been suggested by a few other posters i fully agree the City Center needs proper gentrification.

The Monto? lol
What time machine did you go back in to check that?

I've worked beside a drug clinic and right beside a couple of inner city housing projects for a decade, never had a problem. Had more hassle when I was working on the leafy southside due to the the amount of pubs in the area. You may not have noticed but junkies bus it into the city centre by and large.

We've already seen what Gentrification has done in Dublin, ****loads of cheap bedsits or office areas that are empty after 7pm, no thanks.

Walter H Price

Bambi wrote: »

The Monto? lol
What time machine did you go back in to check that?

I've worked beside a drug clinic and right beside a couple of inner city housing projects for a decade, never had a problem. Had more hassle when I was working on the leafy southside due to the the amount of pubs in the area. You may not have noticed but junkies bus it into the city centre by and large.

We've already seen what Gentrification has done in Dublin, ****loads of cheap bedsits or office areas that are empty after 7pm, no thanks.

Ok it's one view , to be honest i think areas like the IFSC , Grand Canal Dock etc have massively improve DCC and we need more of that kind of high end development to be honest

I work near a Methadone Clinic i see anti social issues everyday on Talbot street , its literally in view of the spire and you have junkies aggressively begging or wandering around off their heads on drugs ... MY OH works in Ballsbridge she doesn't really experience similar and i don't think shes ever had issues with Pubs in that area where as again we have around our office on multiple occasions.

Dots1982

The city centre is a bit of kip, overcrowded, unpleasant & too many junkies. Apart from those social elements, the city itself struggles from a lack of large open squares that are not accessible to cars. There are just too many cars , traffic lights and narrow crowded footpaths for me to be able to have a pleasant thoughtless wander around the city. Think the squares in Krakow,Wroclaw and plenty of German cities for what I mean. A lot of it comes to the weather that doesn't lend it self to an outdoor cafe culture.

St stephen's green is a very pleasant park but (rightly) there are no real cafes allowed in there so everything has to be bought and brought there which is an inconvenience.

Dyr

Dots1982 wrote: »

the city itself struggles from a lack of large open squares that are not accessible to cars. There are just too many cars , traffic lights and narrow crowded footpaths for me to be able to have a pleasant thoughtless wander around the city.

this is whats killing the city centre at the moment, even the footpaths that aren't a building site have been squeezed into narrow passages, with packed public transport stops every few feet and street furniture on both margins, you can't walk across the city center without hitting about a pedestrian light every few feet. Makes for a very hassled vibe

MilesMorales1

Dots1982 wrote: »

The city centre is a bit of kip, overcrowded, unpleasant & too many junkies. Apart from those social elements, the city itself struggles from a lack of large open squares that are not accessible to cars. There are just too many cars , traffic lights and narrow crowded footpaths for me to be able to have a pleasant thoughtless wander around the city. Think the squares in Krakow,Wroclaw and plenty of German cities for what I mean. A lot of it comes to the weather that doesn't lend it self to an outdoor cafe culture.

St stephen's green is a very pleasant park but (rightly) there are no real cafes allowed in there so everything has to be bought and brought there which is an inconvenience.

Yes this is what I was trying to say in the OP. If you look at the crossing by the spire right now, cos of the Luas works and the traffic, its a right pain in the arse to get around.

omah

Dublin's Fair City not looking it's best at the moment with all the Luas works....looking forward to when they are completed!

harr

MilesMorales1 wrote: »

Yes this is what I was trying to say in the OP. If you look at the crossing by the spire right now, cos of the Luas works and the traffic, its a right pain in the arse to get around.

Noticed this yesterday at college green, pedestrians corralled into a tiny walkway outside bank of Ireland one tiny path for crowds heading towards Grafton Street and people heading opposite direction towards o'Connell Street..
Traffic only inches away outside of fence,did not come across as very safe.
I agree that Dublin definitely needs more opens spaces,was in Munich recently and it was pleasure to walk around the city centre...

Fred_Johnson

harr wrote: »

I agree that Dublin definitely needs more opens spaces,was in Munich recently and it was pleasure to walk around the city centre...

No thanks, that would just mean more space for the hard left parties to congregate and be outraged about something or other.

There's a reason Dublin was designed the way it is, and a reason there's not much public space in front of Trinity/ College Green.

Fred_Johnson

Bambi wrote: »

We've already seen what Gentrification has done in Dublin, ****loads of cheap bedsits or office areas that are empty after 7pm, no thanks.

Good man, i suppose you want the whole city looking like a kip instead. You must be well pleased with a lot of the city then.

Gentrification at maximum speed is the way to go. East London should be our role model. Used to be a dive of the highest order, now it's gleaming. The "characters" have been pushed out into Essex.

But of course Dublins problems will never be solved if they don't start moving the social housing to outside the canals.

Dyr

http://www.thejournal.ie/tourism-amsterdam-destroying-3376054-May2017/

Not sure on ryanair but have to agree with airbnb ruining cities now, nice to see someone in officialdom have the balls to point out the obvious.

last weekend hammered this home to me. Bumped into a mate in town who was getting a dublin coach down to a rural town, having never used it before he wasn't prepared for the last chopper out of hanoi scenario that accompanies discount transport, two buses rammed with low rent tourists and still a massive crowd on the footpath. He gave up on his trip after the second or third attempt to board a bus.

A relative was also around the city centre that weekend, born and reared in dublin but living down the countryside for decades now. She pointed out that, if you look up in the city centre, upper floors everywhere are converted into apartments and all occupied.

She gave up showing the other half around the city centre after day one..all the usual attractions just rammed with tourists

Dyr

Fred_Johnson wrote: »

Good man, i suppose you want the whole city looking like a kip instead. You must be well pleased with a lot of the city then.

Gentrification at maximum speed is the way to go. East London should be our role model. Used to be a dive of the highest order, now it's gleaming. The "characters" have been pushed out into Essex.

But of course Dublins problems will never be solved if they don't start moving the social housing to outside the canals.

Not the actual dubs who live in the city centre that are making it look like a kip though is it? That would be our city manager and government. Those neighborhoods have been around longer than you matey, and Dublin looked just fine with them. They'll be around long after you've grown up too

Most cities have figured out that gentrification is an awful idea, you wind up with a generic nowheres ville dumps that looks like every other generic nowheres ville dump. Hipster quarters and businesses all look exactly the same the world over, as do financial centers

But of course the irish chattering class are always rushing to catch up with the jones even when the jones are moving on, having learned the hard way.

boombang

Bambi wrote: »

Not the actual dubs who live in the city centre that are making it look like a kip though is it?

There are enough of "salt of the earth" types in my neighbourhood that extensively litter their own social housing, the general environment around, illegally dump waste, steal bikes etc. I believe they're a minority, but they're making things unpleasant for everybody around them irrespective of housing tenure or employment status.

I see ZERO enforcement of any sort to address chronic low-level anti-social behaviour in the inner city area in which I live and I observe almost no effort in town too.

Dyr

boombang wrote: »

There are enough of "salt of the earth" types in my neighbourhood that extensively litter their own social housing, the general environment around, illegally dump waste, steal bikes etc. I believe they're a minority, but they're making things unpleasant for everybody around them irrespective of housing tenure or employment status.

I see ZERO enforcement of any sort to address chronic low-level anti-social behaviour in the inner city area in which I live and I observe almost no effort in town too.

Perhaps we should have some sort of police force who prevent crime?

In addition to rousting junkies and ne'er do wells, They could branch out into crazy stuff like pulling up vehicles and cyclists that drive through pedestrian lights, or the ones who treat the whole city like a parking zone

They'd be very busy anyway. I've heard such forces work well in other countries

Fred_Johnson

Bambi wrote: »

Not the actual dubs who live in the city centre that are making it look like a kip though is it?

It absolutely is, because i can tell you it's definitely not the tourists, and it's definitely not the people who commute into town to work in offices that you so despise. So who does that leave then as the culprit?

MarkY91

Fred_Johnson wrote: »

It absolutely is, because i can tell you it's definitely not the tourists, and it's definitely not the people who commute into town to work in offices that you so despise. So who does that leave then as the culprit?

I agree. Most issues with dublin is due to the tracksuit wearing scumbags who roam around town from their gifted home just metres from the IFSC.

Dr Crayfish

Walked the length of o Connell st today. Every 10 meters or so there are tour guide hawkers from Brazil and Eastern Europe. It's so tacky. I feel sorry for people going on those tours anyway as I can't really think of anything I'd be bothered seeing in this city! Maybe it's different as I'm from here but it's hardly picturesque.

punisher5112

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Walked the length of o Connell st today. Every 10 meters or so there are tour guide hawkers from Brazil and Eastern Europe. It's so tacky. I feel sorry for people going on those tours anyway as I can't really think of anything I'd be bothered seeing in this city! Maybe it's different as I'm from here but it's hardly picturesque.

Go on a tour you would be surprised.

Do the ghost bus tour also very entertaining.

I agree O'Connell street needs a complete change it's sad to be honest.

I can't get out quick enough..

tricky D

Some posters need to reacquaint themselves with the last item of the DC rules in the charter before posting inane rant-like generalisations again.

pilly

miamee wrote:

For a few months there it seemed as though there were fewer people begging and sleeping on the streets. However this week, things appear to be back to the high numbers they were before. This is only based on my own observation of people while walking through the city on my way to work.

Good weather brings them out I suppose.

pilly

You honestly can't see anything beautiful in Dublin City? Either you need glasses or you stand in 1 spot all day. Ridiculous statement.

Oh I just noticed you only walk O Connell Street. Admittedly not the most picturesque but still has some of the most historic buildings in the world.

Ever been outside O Connell Street?

Dr Crayfish

pilly wrote: »

You honestly can't see anything beautiful in Dublin City? Either you need glasses or you stand in 1 spot all day. Ridiculous statement.

Oh I just noticed you only walk O Connell Street. Admittedly not the most picturesque but still has some of the most historic buildings in the world.

Ever been outside O Connell Street?

Well the parts I like, in and around Grafton St, like South Anne St, Grafton St, and Wicklow St and the "Creative Quarter" area, even Camden and Wexford st, are my favourite parts of Dublin. My favourite parts of any city really, it's fantastic, with all the pubs and restaurants and little streets. It's like Soho but has more character. The tour busses can't go in to these places.
I'm sure people enjoy the tours, but as a native not wearing tourist glasses, it's hard for me to imagine what you'd be impressed by on one of those tours.
I always wished I could somehow have a mind transplant so I could visit Dublin as a tourist to see what I think!

Dr Crayfish

Spent day in Iveagh gardens today and now in Alfie Byrnes. Dublin is amazing in nice weather.

markodaly

Dublin is a very photogenic place, teeming with history and culture. However, there is an issue with Junkies and the like in and around the city centre. Not nice when you go down the quays where you are mixing with loads of tourists and there are people shooting up right in front of you. It would not be tolerated in other countries and cities.

pilly

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

Well the parts I like, in and around Grafton St, like South Anne St, Grafton St, and Wicklow St and the "Creative Quarter" area, even Camden and Wexford st, are my favourite parts of Dublin. My favourite parts of any city really, it's fantastic, with all the pubs and restaurants and little streets. It's like Soho but has more character. The tour busses can't go in to these places.
I'm sure people enjoy the tours, but as a native not wearing tourist glasses, it's hard for me to imagine what you'd be impressed by on one of those tours.
I always wished I could somehow have a mind transplant so I could visit Dublin as a tourist to see what I think!

So you've gone from saying there are no parts of the city you could be bothered seeing to listing a load of them.

That's some change.

I don't think we know how lucky we are at times. There's so much history, culture and beauty in Dublin that we take it completely for granted.

A city like Toronto for example has protection on anything over 100 years old because they've nothing from before then.

Dr Crayfish

pilly wrote: »

So you've gone from saying there are no parts of the city you could be bothered seeing to listing a load of them.

That's some change.

yes, you've found me out, I'm not very good at this internet mullarkey am I?

This looks nice, I wonder when they plan to have it in place, if it even goes ahead?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/water-jets-benches-and-cycle-paths-plans-for-college-green-revealed-35691436.html

Dots1982

Dr Crayfish wrote: »

yes, you've found me out, I'm not very good at this internet mullarkey am I?

This looks nice, I wonder when they plan to have it in place, if it even goes ahead?

http://www.independent.ie/irish-news/water-jets-benches-and-cycle-paths-plans-for-college-green-revealed-35691436.html

Comments on the article are depressing, just goes to show how the level of vagrancy is bringing down the morale & hope of the city that even good plans like this are treated as pointless