Sligo - News and Views

Gillie

After what happened with the Curry's thread it seemed like a good idea to start a thread dedicated to Sligo and the going ons here!

So this thread is for news on:
-Developments
-Planning Applications & Refusals
-Any other news/info.

Try and include your source for information.

I'll start off here!

-In this weeks Champion it has been reported that despite pressure and funds, certain road Developments which seem very important to Sligo and Overdue, will not be delivered any time soon.
The stretches of road in question are:
Collooney to Tubbercurry and Collooney to Castlebaldwin.

This is disappointing! Both roads need major improvement now! Considering how busy the routes are (and the delays that can occur) it doesn't take a genius to figure out how urgent they are!
Highlights the lack of attention given to the northwest in the Transport21 plan!

The drive from Tubbercurry to Sligo (21 miles) can take an age!
As can the 16 mile journey from Castle Baldwin to Sligo! It really shouldn't.

Thoughts?

JoeyJJ

It would be nice to finish the drive from Dublin with a nice stretch of Road, however there are some houses which are practically on the current road so upgrading the existing road would be fairly difficult. It can be a dangerous road on bad nights there are a couple of accident black spots there.

Don't really use the other road too often but its badly needed, possibly more so that the other stretch.

Disgraceful they usually don't say things like this in an election year, they usually put some spin on it.

muffler

Gillie wrote:

After what happened with the Curry's thread it seemed like a good idea to start a thread dedicated to Sligo and the going ons here!

So this thread is for news on:
-Developments
-Planning Applications & Refusals
-Any other news/info.

Nice one Gillie - thats the way to do it

Cant see anyone going off topic here

Gillie

muffler wrote:

Nice one Gillie - thats the way to do it

Cant see anyone going off topic here

Tried to cover everything!

Speaking of which.
There is currently a battle going in relation to the extension of the Runway at Sligo Airport.
The powers that be want to extend the Runway by 200 meters (I think) bringing it back towards Sligo - obviously not out to sea:rolleyes:
Anyway. There is a residence beside the area in which they are extending the runway and the man who lives there has a pretty profitable shellfish business which he (and others) feels will be ruined by the extension work:

Very rough diagram::eek:

++++++++++++++[]
+++++++++++++++~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

_________________ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _


+++++++++++++++~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+++++++++++++++

Legend:
+ Land
~ Water
__ Current Runway
_ _ Proposed Extension
[] Guys House (And business)

Anyway. The Airport Manager feels that without the entension the Airport is a glorified Aero Club (Surely a bit harsh).

My question is this. There is a new route starting in May this year to Manchester. Surely this development is not required for this route?
If it is not why bother extending?

Full story in this weeks Sligo Champion.
Comments?

donegalman1

Still believe Sligo lacks real political leadership. And that reflects in everything. Were it not for the shear population and the fact so many things in the old north west scheme of things were located there, Sligo would not be a gateway city. To me its a bit like Lifford is in Donegal. Letterkenny and Derry are fastly becoming the real capitals of the North West.

Sligo is very static, the by pass is a traffic ridden street with predictable lack of planning. Even the nightclubs belong in the past.

It really needs someone to come in and inject some life

il gatto

As far as nightclubs go, the Velvet Room is pretty plush. It won new nightclub of the year for 2006.
The Collooney to Castlebaldwin and Collooney to Tubbercurry roads are a disgrace. They're the two main arteries to and from Sligo and are narrow, twisty and dangerous. At least one or two lorries a year go into a field upsidedown at Drumfin. On the Dublin road, although there are houses very close to the edge, the density of housing is quite low. As well as that, the land behind those houses is generally flat. When you look at the Knock/Claremorris bypass and the Curlews, the Collooney to Castlebaldwin road should be simple to build. No big cuttings or blasting to be done. When you see projects the surrounding counties have undertaken, such as the Barnesmore Gap, you wonder exactly what Sligo Co. Co. do with their time.
Now that Leitrim have nearly done the Dromod and Rooskey section, and Roscommon is a clear run through, when will Sligo get it's finger out and finish the job, which it stands to gain most from?

Gillie

Politics in Sligo is a joke.
Only in the last two years have we seen proper Developments completed:
-Inner Relief Road - Massive Success TBH! If anyone remembers what it was like beforehand they'll know what I mean! There is a bottleneck on Hughes Bridge if youre coming from Rosses Point/Donegal but there are plans in the pipeline to upgrade the bridge to Dual Carraigeway all the way to Teason. This will be, in time, Part of the new N15 to Bunduff bridge.
Again. The Hughes Bridge issue was quite obvious before the road was even completed! Nou Points!

-The Quayside Shopping Centre. The first decent Shopping Center in Sligo! Next, TKMaxx, River Island etc.
Huge Crowds every Weekend! Massive boost for the Town. No real negatives here! Finally providing competition to the Old School, Boring, Monopolised Shopping Experience!
Plus it was Sligo's first Escalator!!!

-The Retail Park Carraroe. Homebase, Reid, Harry Corry, Curry's etc.
Another great boost in terms of Choice and Value but looses the old one-on-one approach! Can be waiting for ages for service in some of these stores (still waiting on Argos too!)

-This march the Johnson's Court Mall is opening in O'Connell st. Women are foaming at the mouth!!!

Anyway. IMO we as a city/town are finally moving in the right direction!
After years of "No No No" the powers that be are seeing sense in terms of developing this little paradise!

Donegalman. Naturally you would prefer to see Derry or Letterkenny become the capital of the NW (was in Letterkenny for years and think the place is great!) but I believe that Sligo is up to the Challenge!
And by the way! You have to Drop into the Velvet Room some nite!
Class spot!

nanook

this is starting to look like the sligo champion.

Good work and hopefully this will get the interaction it deserves

il gatto

I agree with Gillie. What donegalman1 said was very true up until only a few years ago, but recently, Sligo has come on in leaps and bounds. Apart from the Mid Block route though, so much of that developement has been the work of private developers. The Corporation and the County Council are lagging behind. They're not fulfilling theit duty of facillitating further developement.
The roads are one thing. Another is the fact that our local polititions weren't able to secure completion of the Western Rail corridor or even a forecasted date for completion. The streets (paving and street furniture) are far behind most towns of similar size. Grotty looking. Also, Sligo has alot to offer for tourists (scenary, hotels, surfing etc.) but seems to be so poorly marketed either in Ireland or abroad, that it doesn't seem to on any tourists list of destinations.
I think it's improved massively recently, but there's potential for much more.

Gillie

nanook wrote:

hopefully this will get the interaction it deserves

Thats exactly why I was afraid of starting it! I was afraid that it wouldn't merit attention!
Speaking of which where the hell is Andyr gone!
I did this for him so he'd stop getting banned!;)

magnumlady

Gillie wrote:

Thats exactly why I was afraid of starting it! I was afraid that it wouldn't merit attention!
Speaking of which where the hell is Andyr gone!
I did this for him so he'd stop getting banned!;)

Sadly Andyr has been banned for life!! I have inside information about this.
Great thread.

Totally agree about the N17 from Collooney to Tubbercurry, so many accidents on that stretch of road.

I'm hearing a little voice in my ear telling me about the stupid traffic lights on the new relief road, the Adelaide Street ones are too close to Strandhill Road ones.

Also how long is it going to take them to finish repairing the bridge on the N4 coming into Sligo, they've been doing that for months.

Gillie

magnumlady wrote:

Sadly Andyr has been banned for life!! I have inside information about this.
Great thread.

Totally agree about the N17 from Collooney to Tubbercurry, so many accidents on that stretch of road.

I'm hearing a little voice in my ear telling me about the stupid traffic lights on the new relief road, the Adelaide Street ones are too close to Strandhill Road ones.

Also how long is it going to take them to finish repairing the bridge on the N4 coming into Sligo, they've been doing that for months.

Shame about Andy!

The lights can be a pain in the arse. They have changed the sequence on them too but I think they've made it worse if your turning off it at the Strandhill road and churchill junctions.

The bridge work at Collooney/Ballisadare is taking far too long - agreed!

magnumlady

The traffic lights and roads I can deal with.

My two most annoying things about Sligo are the lack of parking in town and I mean if you are doing your weekly grocery shopping. Its not too bad if you are just looking around as there is the Quayside and other car parks a bit away from the town.

The other really annoying thing is the lack of toilets and I speak as a mum here. Its just mad that you have to pay 50 cent for a really minging toilet in Tesco or have to walk over to the Quayside and pay 30 cent but at least they are clean.

Castlebar Tesco and Carrick toilets are free, also parking is free in Carrick and very cheap in Castlebar.

Gillie

Parking is not up to scratch in Sligo. There is no doubt about that.
There is plans for a 800 space Multi Storey car park at Connaughton Road as part of the Library/Museum re-development but that could take a while.

As for toilets. Surely you heard the good old story about when sligo tried to have a Public Toilet put in:
http://www.sligotown.net/index.php/109
I still shudder thinking about this! This was in the local papers before but I can't find the link. This article basically sums up what happened at the time.

magnumlady

Yes I remember that fiasco with the toilet!

The only trouble with a new multi story car park in Connaughton Road is that its too far out of town for grocery shopping.

Saying that I wish they'd let Tesco build out of town. It'd also be a great idea to have a road running from the other side of town (Dunnes to the hospital).

Gillie

magnumlady wrote:

It'd also be a great idea to have a road running from the other side of town (Dunnes to the hospital).

That has been in the pipeline for ages.
Annoying thing is that they seemed to have prioritised the W2 distributor route from the Caltragh Interchange to Finiskllin.
It is clear that the Eastern route across the River is far more important.

Iompair

From what I remember of a conversation with an environmental science student at the IT a couple of years ago, the hold up with the eastern route has to do with the land it was planned to run across. Its a protected area for some reason.

Has anybody else noticed the huge amount of people still turning onto Lord Edward St. after coming up Union St. Despite the new lit sign saying no right turn. I've been held up every time I've gone up union St. by people waiting for a chance to get across. The signage isn't great but its been there for a few weeks now, its scary how little attention people pay to what's going on around them.

Gillie

Iompair wrote:

From what I remember of a conversation with an environmental science student at the IT a couple of years ago, the hold up with the eastern route has to do with the land it was planned to run across. Its a protected area for some reason.

Has anybody else noticed the huge amount of people still turning onto Lord Edward St. after coming up Union St. Despite the new lit sign saying no right turn. I've been held up every time I've gone up union St. by people waiting for a chance to get across. The signage isn't great but its been there for a few weeks now, its scary how little attention people pay to what's going on around them.

The same thing happened for the turn from Upper John St. onto Adelade St. which is now prohibited. It took ages for ppl to realise!
They had to change the green light to an arrow instead of a normal round light.:rolleyes:

Another shocking thing. How some people don't understand how to drive on a road with two lanes! On the inner relief road I always come across drivers in the middle of the road!:eek:

It's not that feckin difficult!

As for the Eastern Route.
They have the land sorted for a while now! I think their waiting on funding or something!

il gatto

Gillie wrote:

The same thing happened for the turn from Upper John St. onto Adelade St. which is now prohibited. It took ages for ppl to realise!
They had to change the green light to an arrow instead of a normal round light.:rolleyes:

Another shocking thing. How some people don't understand how to drive on a road with two lanes! On the inner relief road I always come across drivers in the middle of the road!:eek:

It's not that feckin difficult!

As for the Eastern Route.
They have the land sorted for a while now! I think their waiting on funding or something!

I met someone on the wrong side of the dual carriageway one night. Itwas about 4 a.m. and we were both doing 60-65 mph. I didn't realise until he was quite close. Muppet.
The Corporation seem to have an obsessive/compulsive disorder relating to traffic light sequencing and one way systems. Every time you cross town, the lights are different, a new street is one way, or you can't turn right any more. Myself and a friend made some pretty straightforward suggestions to alleviate the congestion to a councillor. He said they sounded good and that he'd forward them to the traffic planner. WTF? Sligo has a traffic planner? You wouldn't think it. Looks more like the work of a thousand monkies with a thousand typewriters.

Gillie

They want/need you to keep coming through the city centre!
They believe that gridlock=booming local economy!

All they need now is a Car Parking planner!

tuppence

Is this is about planning in sligo is it okay to bring up the new halls in st. angelas college?
Has anyone seen them from the scenic drive (it used to be scenic) from Sligo (Carraroe side) to Dromahair. It also obstructs the view of the lake Isle of Innisfree from the best viewing point in Sligo near Cullentra. It is shocking beyond proportions. Just think of the worst Mediterrean apartments of old or a new Ikea on the lake and you have the general idea. Has anybody any ideas how they managed to get the go ahead and is there anything anybody there protecting our heritage? Am saddened.

Gillie

tuppence wrote:

Is this is about planning in sligo is it okay to bring up the new halls in st. angelas college?
Has anyone seen them from the scenic drive (it used to be scenic) from Sligo (Carraroe side) to Dromahair. It also obstructs the view of the lake Isle of Innisfree from the best viewing point in Sligo near Cullentra. It is shocking beyond proportions. Just think of the worst Mediterrean apartments of old or a new Ikea on the lake and you have the general idea. Has anybody any ideas how they managed to get the go ahead and is there anything anybody there protecting our heritage? Am saddened.

You can bring that up!

The drive is still scenic to be fair! It doesn't look that bad!

tuppence

Hi, Am a novice at this thing so was expecting someone to say "you cant say that" the way the dusters used to go flying at the lads at my school in ballysadare, years ago!
But hey I think no doubt the scenic and heritage value as been eroded to an extensive degree. "Shocking" is the word I would use. I was abit like you saying to myself, "there has to be some esthetic value to this place". Thought if I said it over and over it might be true. But sorry it has a tendency to come out from the skyline and slap you round the face. It would be funny if it werent so grave in my view anyway. Theres this (used to be) lovely spot were you could have a picnic near Cullentra, Killery I think its called. Best vantage point to see the lake isle of Innisfree and even a small jetty for boats. You cannt see Innisfree because there this big white yoke impending your view...
Maybe you are in denial!

Gillie

Sorry. Mix up here! I am not aware of the area you are refering to.
I was talking about being in Slíos wood or Dooney Rock and the views from there!

tuppence

No worries. Probably me confusing you! The particular spot you should investigate sometime if you are out that direction. It was a real gem . If instead of turning off at Dooney rock and slios you continue on the road from carraroe on lake road. Just before you get to the intersection for ballintogher theres a signed left for Innisfree viewing point. Lovely little winding road past a thatched cottage etc down to lake. Theres even a couple of resident donkeys in the field, great for kids. (An unvandalised public toliet and everything!).
Do be honest have been abit nervous to go to Dooney rock and Slios in case I might turn a corner and the white yolk might be round it! So are you saying its safe to go to woods then....!

peasant

Seenashow this is the "proper Sligo thread" now, I'll ask my question from the not so proper one again.

Has anyone got any news if or if not that 15 storey scyscraper hotel at Carraroe roundabout is getting built?

It's got planning and all, but nothing's happening.

Personally I hope* that the planners have come to their senses and realised that yet another hotel mightn't be a "winner", especially not there and certainly not in the proposed shape.



*there's always hope, you know

vesp

magnumlady wrote:

My two most annoying things about Sligo are the lack of parking in town and I mean if you are doing your weekly grocery shopping. Its not too bad if you are just looking around as there is the Quayside and other car parks a bit away from the town..

I agree 100%. I know when I go to Sligo to have a look around the shops or whatever there is nowhere to park, and for tourists who do not know Sligo / its one way systems etc it must be really frustrating. The most obvious place to build a new multi-storey car park is between the town centre and the inner relief road , near Adelaide St. somewhere. People coming in to Sligo would see the signs / car park, be enticed to visit , then park and shop/wander. Having a b*****y car park in a place like Connaughton road is too far away and only adds to congestion as drivers have to drive around the town. Its not rocket science.

magnumlady wrote:

The other really annoying thing is the lack of toilets and I speak as a mum here. Its just mad that you have to pay 50 cent for a really minging toilet in Tesco or have to walk over to the Quayside and pay 30 cent but at least they are clean.

Castlebar Tesco and Carrick toilets are free, also parking is free in Carrick and very cheap in Castlebar.

Sure Sligo Borough Council are paying for a hi-tec public toilet somewhere thats not being used, are they not? In Enniskillen the public toilets are free and car parks easy to see / find as you drive through.

vesp

peasant wrote:

Has anyone got any news if or if not that 15 storey scyscraper hotel at Carraroe roundabout is getting built?

It's got planning and all, but nothing's happening.

Personally I hope* that the planners have come to their senses and realised that yet another hotel mightn't be a "winner", especially not there and certainly not in the proposed shape.

Its a real puzzle how it got planning. Nowhere else in the world would a 15 storey hotel in a rural scenic area like that get planning. If you think a 15 storey building is needed somewhere, there are derelect sites within a few miles of the centre of Dublin where something like that could be built. Not too long ago if you stood up on Knocknarea, near Queen Maeves tomb, and surveyed the view below you,( as man has done for thousands of years ), it was nice green good quality land from the scenic town of Sligo ( old Stone buildings etc ) to the village / mill in Ballisodare. Now there is ribbon development / its grey. What will our great-grandchildren say - will they believe it had not something to do with brown paper bags ?

magnumlady

I see there is also a planning permission notice for a hotel at the back of the Sligo Gate petrol station in Collooney, not a very scenic place for a hotel though.
Never mind all the hotels I say, give us an out of town shopping centre (with a supermarket).

Gillie

magnumlady wrote:

I see there is also a planning permission notice for a hotel at the back of the Sligo Gate petrol station in Collooney, not a very scenic place for a hotel though.
Never mind all the hotels I say, give us an out of town shopping centre (with a supermarket).

Surely not! Then we wouldn't have the pleasure of driving into the middle of Sligo where there is NO parking whatsoever!
Tesco have tried to put a store up at Carroroe without success! Long Story!

I would not be suprised to see their store built out at Collooney at some stage!

il gatto

The parking disc system is a nuisance in Sligo. If you park in Connaughton Rd. car park, you have to walk to Feehily's to pay €i.50 for a disc that'll last an hour, and then trudge back up again. Fine if you get the bottom end. Not so nice if you're near the top and it's lashing. Put's me off spending spare time in town, as wet clothes and an uphill hike for expensive parking does not make for a leisurely time in Sligo town. Enniskillen is a joy to visit by comparison.

magnumlady

Gillie wrote:

Surely not! Then we wouldn't have the pleasure of driving into the middle of Sligo where there is NO parking whatsoever!
Tesco have tried to put a store up at Carroroe without success! Long Story!

I would not be suprised to see their store built out at Collooney at some stage!

Talking of Collooney, what are they building there at the N4/N17 roundabout? Anyone know?

The supermarkets in Sligo are a joke, Dunnes have done there one up and thats great, but today, there were two massive delivery lorries parked along side the supermarket on the main road holding all the traffic up. Very bad planning if thats how they have to deliver goods.

vesp

tuppence wrote:

Is this is about planning in sligo is it okay to bring up the new halls in st. angelas college?
Has anyone seen them from the scenic drive (it used to be scenic) from Sligo (Carraroe side) to Dromahair. It also obstructs the view of the lake Isle of Innisfree from the best viewing point in Sligo near Cullentra. It is shocking beyond proportions. Just think of the worst Mediterrean apartments of old or a new Ikea on the lake and you have the general idea. Has anybody any ideas how they managed to get the go ahead and is there anything anybody there protecting our heritage? Am saddened.

I agree 100 %, it is a monstrosity and an eyesore. How they got planning is beyond comprehension. Even after all the tribunals.

Gillie

magnumlady wrote:

Talking of Collooney, what are they building there at the N4/N17 roundabout? Anyone know?

The supermarkets in Sligo are a joke, Dunnes have done there one up and thats great, but today, there were two massive delivery lorries parked along side the supermarket on the main road holding all the traffic up. Very bad planning if thats how they have to deliver goods.

A hotel apparently!

Tesco have got planning to redevelop their store at o'connell street.
It's gonna be a 2 storey shopping centre with a couple of apartments on top.

magnumlady

Gillie wrote:

A hotel apparently!

Tesco have got planning to redevelop their store at o'connell street.
It's gonna be a 2 storey shopping centre with a couple of apartments on top.

Oh no not another hotel!!

I heard about Tesco redeveloping the store but its in such a pain of a place what with the lack of car parking nearby.

Gillie

You said it girl!
But this is how we do it in Sligo!

folkswagen

was there not a mention of a superalu sized food shop for quayside at the early stages - any shop with decent parking would be a help:rolleyes:

Even a Tesco at the SMyths retail park would do? WHy has no other company joined them there?

magnumlady

Yep. Super Valu was going to be in the Quayside, I don't know why they didn't go there in the end.
Its a shame Smyths is all on its own in Cleveragh, it would be great to have an Argos there and a supermarket and possibly a Heatons.

vesp

magnumlady wrote:

Yep. Super Valu was going to be in the Quayside, I don't know why they didn't go there in the end.
Its a shame Smyths is all on its own in Cleveragh, it would be great to have an Argos there and a supermarket and possibly a Heatons.

Yep, there should have been a food supermarket in Quayside as it has all that parking + to help anchor the place.

Its indeed a shame Smyths is all on its own in Cleveragh, but it would be too far out of town for Argos. Somewhere closer to the centre of town would be better, providing car parking slaces are provided. This is how they operate in Enniskillen, Castlebar etc

The Borough Council should get up off their well paid asses and provide car parking spaces between the inner relief road and the centre of town , where they are needed. Wait until Johnston court opens....lots more spaces will be needed for it. In fact much of it was built on a car park.

magnumlady

Wasn't there going to be a car park built on top on Johnston Court? Or is that Wine Street I'm thinking of.
Castlebar and Eniskillen are both much better laid out towns and parking is either cheaper or free and they both have free toilets.

donegalman1

THB the Inner relief road cannot be called that. A proper bypass without being riddled with off streets and traffic lights would have served the town better. Who would have imagine that a brand new road to serve as a bypass would have gridlock from opening.

Its a bit like the Strabane first bypass though they had the fore sight to plan another as soon as it opened. Both planned and completed shorter Sligos excuse of a road. What was I saying about politics in Sligo.

Yes Velvets a great club, that only opens oce a week. Its not hard to win an award you subscribe to when there aren't that many NEW ones anyway nationwide and decor ain't everything.

I believe the people of Sligo deserve better, the council and nightclubs in general only trough out what they have to.

magnumlady

My opinions on the Inner relief road:

Its much to near the town and its causing so many traffic problems especially in the mornings.
Most mornings the traffic is backed right up past the roundabout.
There are way too many traffic lights on it. If it was going to be a bypass then thats what it should be.
Take the traffic away from the town and have a couple of roundabouts for people that do want to go into Sligo. Not all those confusing traffic lights, one after another and half the time at least one set of them is out of order anyway.

Also have another bypass the otherside of the town for Eniskillen and the hospital. ts mad that in this day and age you have to go all around the houses to get to the hospital. I would hate to have to get there in an emergency.

Rant over!:D

Gillie

It was never designed as a bypass to be fair.
The concept for this road is about 15 years old.

I don't know if you had any experience before the road was built but it was a lot worse!!! A lot lot worse!

The traffic lights are a pain but I think overall the road has been a huge success! The big problem is the junction for finisklin off Hughes Bridge! If that got sorted I would be a lot happier.

The Eastern Bypass has been in the pipeline for some time also. Land acqusition is the big issue here! Remember that when ppl hear that a road/supermarket/whatever is going to pass through their land then all of a sudden that old oak tree, that they were about to cut down anyway, has to stay and is now worth something!

magnumlady

Yes I did have experience of the road before hand and while the new road is an improvement it could be made a lot better. Even if either the John Street or Adelaide Street turn off was cut out it would make it better.

dingding

Any one know what is happening with the clarence hotel, seems to be a lot of building at the back.

il gatto

Clarence is supposed to be a pub and live music venue. That was almost two years ago. Plans might have changed since.
In fairness to the Velvet room, why would you open a club when there's no one to go to it during the week? You'd end up ruining it's busy image and probably making a small loss most nights. If Sligo had tourists it might be worth their while.

Gillie

It certainly would be. The VR is an orignal and fresh experience.

Well worth the €12 cover charge.
There is also a VIP section you can book for parties!

JIZZLORD

havent been in sligo town in ages, when does the johnstons court centre open and what'll be in it?

Gillie

Supposed to be this month.
Not sure what's gonna be in it. Boutique's (SP?) mainly.

Hopefully a proper music shop!

Madge

Sasha is moving into Johnstons Court, Don't know what else though! I think I heard an electrical shop of some sort may be going in

Gillie

Madge wrote:

Sasha is moving into Johnstons Court, Don't know what else though! I think I heard an electrical shop of some sort may be going in

Surely not! Don't need any more of them!!!:(