New ped bridge Phoenix Park to War Memorial Gardens

Muahahaha

Looks like this is going ahead, a design has been chosen

From July 2018

The proposed cycling and pedestrian crossing would link the Phoenix Park to the War Memorial Gardens at Islandbridge.

It would also finally realise the vision of celebrated architect Edwin Lutyens, who almost 90 years ago laid out the original plans for the gardens, commemorating Irish men and women who died in the first World War.

Mr Donohoe said the Commissioners of Public Works are in “discussions with relevant stakeholders with a view to advancing the development of a modern pedestrian and cycle way bridge” linking the park and the gardens.

From yesterday, the winning design is chosen
https://twitter.com/RIAIOnline/status/1128327431692148736

The Magazine fort in the park is also being done up by the OPW. The new pedestrian bridge will end close enough to it on Military Road

The architect who won the competition is Ian Ritchie who is the same guy who did the Spire and the glass pyramid outside the Louvre in Paris

miamee

I think the War Memorial Gardens are beautiful and probably under-utilised. There are never huge crowds there and it's such a nice spot. This should open it up to a lot more people or at least make them aware of it's existence. Not convinced on the design of the bridge from those images, it looks like long grass growing along the sides but may look different 'in the flesh'.

BeerNut

Muahahaha wrote: »

The new pedestrian bridge will end close enough to it on Military Road

It won't, though. It ends south of Chapelizod Road. Unless they run a path down from Military Road and open a new gate in the Park wall, it won't really link the Park to the Gardens.

Spanish Eyes

Great move and I hope it doesn’t take a decade to complete!

The bridge will link up with the existing walking and cycle path along the South side of the Liffey to Chapelizod and (with a bit of a gap) on to the cycle way via Palmerstown and onwards parallel with N4.

Sleek design too

Muahahaha

miamee wrote: »

I think the War Memorial Gardens are beautiful and probably under-utilised. There are never huge crowds there and it's such a nice spot. This should open it up to a lot more people or at least make them aware of it's existence. Not convinced on the design of the bridge from those images, it looks like long grass growing along the sides but may look different 'in the flesh'.

I think that is the thing about Memorial Gardens, a lot of people dont even know it is there. I lived in Islandbridge for months before discovering it by accident. When I did I went for walks there plenty of times and as you say it is pretty under utilised. From the main entrance at St.John of Gods it is not obvious that you have a huge park in behind it. From what I recall there wasnt even any signage indicating its presence, it is almost completely hidden.

Anyway this new bridge combined with the new Liffey cycle way and should make a nice tourist route from Chrischurch- Liberties-Guinness-Kilmanham-Islandbridge-Phoenix Park- Collins Barracks and back to the city centre.

Muahahaha

BeerNut wrote: »

It won't, though. It ends south of Chapelizod Road. Unless they run a path down from Military Road and open a new gate in the Park wall, it won't really link the Park to the Gardens.

Yeah see what you mean from the maps but it will still only be around 300m from where this bridge finishes to the Military Road entrance to the Park. So not a direct link into the park but close enough to it.

BowWow

I think the original plan for the WMG included a bridge over the Liffey to the Phoenix Park.
Also think that the gardens were to be park of the park - will look it up.

Muahahaha

Yeah it did originally (100+ years ago) include a bridge direct into the park

Drawings by Lutyens, held by the Office of Public Works (OPW) archives, show he envisaged a three-arched bridge built on the central axis of the main lawn in the gardens, which would cross the Liffey, where various rowing clubs are now, into the Phoenix Park, close to the Magazine Fort.

The OPW is renovating and developing the French-style star fort as a visitor attraction. Proposals for completing the bridge have surfaced and resurfaced since the gardens were first designed in 1930, but have always been hampered by a lack of funding.

Lutyens’ original plans for a triple-arched bridge, including associated water features on the south bank of the Liffey, were drawn up in the classical style. It was to be made of stone.

But during the 1990s, a consensus was reached that this would be too expensive, too complex – given the obstacles of river, road and a steep incline at the Phoenix Park – and would not be suitable to modern accessibility standards, according to the OPW. It was decided that a modern design, using modern materials, would be preferable.

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/liffey-bridge-may-link-phoenix-park-to-war-memorial-gardens-1.3580004

Hoagy

From the project Q.S. website:

The works include the installation of a 65m single span bridge structure together with piled solution and related river bank works. In addition, ancillary civil infrastructure works will be required including new pedestrian walkways, cycle ways and signalised road crossings. Outside of the immediate curtilage of the bridge the scheme also makes provision for connectivity into the Phoenix Park. This approach complies with an overall masterplan strategy for the Park.

So that looks like a new entrance.


https://www.carronandwalsh.com/projects/war-memorial-park-commemoration-bridge-river-liffey-dublin/

BeerNut

Hooray! Though that computer model looks like the new plaza will be right in the middle of Chapelizod Road.

Muahahaha

Just looking at maps there and it seems if the bridge ends on the northside beside UCD Boat Club then a new entrance to the park would be possible directly across the road to connect onto Military Road. There would be a bit of an incline coming off Conyham Road but nothing too steep. That matched with a new pedestrian crossing on Conyham Road and the new bridge would provide a great link between the two parks. Hard to believe it is almost 100 years in the making, the plans for this bridge are almost twice as old as the plans for the Metro :pac:

Cienciano

I should be happy but the best thing about the WMG is the fact that feck all people know about the WMG

beauf

It will be very useful for all the rowing clubs.

They use the far bank a lot currently they have to go the long way around. Especially for regatta's etc.

Muahahaha

beauf wrote: »

It will be very useful for all the rowing clubs.

They use the far bank a lot currently they have to go the long way around. Especially for regatta's etc.

The Trinity Rowing club won't be impressed with being connected with those northside rowing clubs, the horror :pac:

Citygirl1

Can someone add a link to the maps mentioned? I can see them on the links included so far. Very interested to see exactly where this will be located. Thanks

Hogzy

Muahahaha wrote: »

The architect who won the competition is Ian Ritchie who is the same guy who did the Spire and the glass pyramid outside the Louvre in Paris

Where you getting this from

I.M. Pei is world renowned for being the architect behind the glass pyramid. He passed away recently (RIP).

L1011

Hogzy wrote: »

Where you getting this from

I.M. Pei is world renowned for being the architect behind the glass pyramid. He passed away recently (RIP).

Was involved in the actual implementation:

https://www.ianritchiearchitects.co.uk/projects/louvre_pyramid/

Jellybaby1

Is the bridge something that the local community were calling for? Never heard anything about it until recently. I don't live in the city but I used to. I still visit the WMG now and again, its a lovely place to visit, and even better because there are no crowds. If they build any more bridges the Liffey will soon become an underground river!!

Amirani

Jellybaby1 wrote: »

If they build any more bridges the Liffey will soon become an underground river!!

There's a single bridge between Heuston and Chapelizod. That's a 3/4 km stretch with one bridge.

Jellybaby1

Amirani wrote: »

There's a single bridge between Heuston and Chapelizod. That's a 3/4 km stretch with one bridge.

That's a nice walk!