News and views on Greystones harbour and marina [SEE MODERATOR WARNING POST 1187]

LEIN

There are only 2 moderators here and that's mango salsa and myself. P lease leave the moderation to us and use the report button if you feel something is not right.

Back to topic now guys.

John, please keep posting pictures of the harbour as i enjoy looking at them like many others here.

F3

darter wrote: »

Not at all a problem Greystoned. This is a real democracy where all of us can give our views, within the constrains imposed by the mods that is. I am giving my view, and at least one other person likes it, whereas two of you are giving opposing views. Fine by me.

I'm actually not all that bothered really - it just seems to me to be filling this thread up with unnecessary photos that are completely irrelevant to the issue of the harbour/marina development and serve only to rattle the cages of those who were opposed and wish to turn time back.

(P.S. I was opposed, but live in today, not yesteryear.)

I have to support Darter in his view about living in the past. We all have fond memories about 'the good ole days' and the more distant those days become the better they appear to be. I for one was somewhat inert about the development one way or another, but almost anything was better than what was before (or at least post- kish base silt up of inner harbour)✌

Fiachra2

True but Durutti (correctly spelt, I believe, if you are referring to the band but not if referring to the anarchists!) has a point.

What is there is unacceptable and needs significant improvement. However -just like the hoardings themselves until GUBOH got going-it becomes the status quo and people start to just accept it. Johns photos remind us that the harbour can and should have great charm and that the community needs to keep fighting to achieve that.

darter

Fiachra2 wrote: »

True but Durutti (correctly spelt, I believe, if you are referring to the band but not if referring to the anarchists!) has a point.

What is there is unacceptable and needs significant improvement. However -just like the hoardings themselves until GUBOH got going-it becomes the status quo and people start to just accept it. Johns photos remind us that the harbour can and should have great charm and that the community needs to keep fighting to achieve that.

Good points Fiachra, except that the old harbour had no charm... (see my earlier post on exactly that point).

P.S. The band's name was a misspelling of Buenaventura Durruti, who led a column of anarchists during the Spanish Civil War. Only our very own Durutti Column can tell us whether he is named after a poorly-educated Manchester punk band or the ideals of those fighting for a republic.

Fiachra2

Well we agree on the spelling at least!

Remember the charm of the old harbour is entirely a matter of personal opinion. I (and many others) would feel the complete opposite to you.

So lets agree that the old harbour had charm for some but the important thing is that the new one should have charm, something I think we can all agree it lacks at present.

The Durutti Column

Fiachra2 wrote: »

Well we agree on the spelling at least!

Remember the charm of the old harbour is entirely a matter of personal opinion. I (and many others) would feel the complete opposite to you.

So lets agree that the old harbour had charm for some but the important thing is that the new one should have charm, something I think we can all agree it lacks at present.

For me, the charm of the old harbour was in its small scale and what you could do there. When my kids were small we spent whole days in the sun on the harbour beach, swam, ate Joe's chips and drank pop, etc etc etc. Boats lay about on the shore. There was fishing and fun. Kids could play with little supervision needed. Try that now — or in summer 2012.

What I am talking about is restoring something of the community value and uses the old place had, so I agree with F2. The new one needs an approach which will give it some charm and community-wide amenity value. All you can do now is park and walk a fenced corridor in one small part. There is not even one bench to sit on! And it's a cold, brutalist design with no sign of appreciation for the needs of ordinary citizens or of human scale. It needs creativity, thought and lots of work to develop even a smidgin of charm.

As to my handle, the spelling problem was pointed out ages ago. I sent a PM to admin asking if they could change it to Durruti, but I had neither reply nor action on that. My original inspiration was indeed the renowned anarchist, but a punk band would do OK too...

mikedragon32

As to my handle, the spelling problem was pointed out ages ago. I sent a PM to admin asking if they could change it to Durruti, but I had neither reply nor action on that.

You need to subscribe to have your name changed. (or become a mod, then it's free!)

I agree with your thoughts on developing charm. Some benches would be a start and maybe some sculpture evoking the area, the sea or the headland the harbour looks out to.

The Durutti Column

mikedragon32 wrote: »

You need to subscribe to have your name changed. (or become a mod, then it's free!)

I'll stay with the obscure Manchester punk band, so...

The Durutti Column

Speaking of relevance... his photo raises a question: was the bollard (if that's the word, it's right behind the chains and halfways between the no-parking cones) reinstated in the new harbour? I believe some bits and pieces such as that were to be used somewhere on the new piers.

Swanner wrote: »

Exactly my thoughts when I saw that pic. Those bollards had a real nostalgia about them, as if to remind you that it was once a vibrant working fishing harbour. It would be great to see them reinstated in places. Can't say i've noticed them anytime i've been down there.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/greystones/
There are references to the bollards and other stored artifacts on the GUBOH FB page, at present second post from top by Gary Achison. See also his pix on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/achesonblog/2035709660/in/set-72157603199840849 This is the bollard, part of a big set of Stones pix.

Fiachra2

GUBOH attended a meeting of the Harbour Liaison Committee in December 2012 at which Wicklow County Council and Sispar briefed the committee on the current status of the development.
In summary they advised the following:
• Sispar have very limited funds to carry out any further work on the development
• If NAMA provide funding, they will build the medical centre. They have not yet received a decision from NAMA however they expect one in January 2012 and, if it is positive, work will commence around March.
• Sispar expect to make a decision in February 2012 on whether to open the marina basin to boats
• Sispar have no funds for landscaping the unused parts of the site or for improving the unsightly approach from the cliff walk

A number of other issues were then raised:
• Sispar were asked about removing some of the unnecessary fencing on the south pier but indicated that they were not inclined to do so.
• In response to a GUBOH request, they would consider the possibility of removing the fenced area at the site for the community buildings and opening pedestrian access to Cliff Road to create better circulation
• Sispar were also pressed to open the North pier but again indicated that they were not in a position to do this.


None of this is good news for the community. In the absence of NAMA funding, it seems Wicklow County Council and Sispar want to leave things as they are. GUBOH would not consider this a satisfactory outcome but we have decided to wait until after the next meeting which will be in late February before taking any further action.

WCC & SISPAR were requested by the Mayor of Greystones to prepare a ‘Plan B’ option if NAMA were to decline funding of the medical centre as the community of Greystones could not allow this status quo to continue indefinitely

In the meantime, the committee of GUBOH will consider contingency plans for action should that become necessary and will also consult our support base for suggestions on possible action

pixbyjohn

Thanks for the latest info Fiachra.

Blanchflower

Planning permission for the Primary Care Centre is also subject to getting approval from an Bord Pleanala. At present Sispar has neither funding nor planning permission to build the PCC.

The Durutti Column

And it's not even a PCC, which implies something between a doc surgery and a hospital, with diagnostics and some emergency treatments. It would in essence be a collection of doc surgeries plus other medical services like dentistry, physiotherapy, etc.

Blanchflower is right, of course. Bord Pleanala has issued no decision yet on the EIS and the planning approvals which WCC issued to itself and Sispar.

RosieJoe

This from WicklowNews.net:

Cllr Ciarán Hayden has welcomed the decision by Sispar to further enhance the southern section of the Cliff Walk.

Work on replacing fencing and widening the path is scheduled to start this week. Sispar have agreed to carry out the work after direct consultation with Cllrs Derek Mitchell and Ciarán Hayden.

Cllr Hayden said, “I warmly welcome the start of work to enhance this area. Myself and Cllr Mitchell have worked hard to bring this about and we should see a much improved visual aspect to the southern section of the walk as a result.”

Cllr Hayden is a member of the Harbour Liaison Committee and has been a supporter of the harbour project since its inception.

The local Councillor went on to say, “I am particularly pleased that the planting of shrubs and gorse will be a part of these works.

The fencing will also be very aesthetically pleasing. This is another positive step forward by Sispar and I congratulate them for their open and honest engagement with Cllr Mitchell and myself.”

Cheeky Chops

That is great news RosieJoe.

LEIN

This is the final warning to some posters who are insisting on public naming and public bashing. The next post to do so will receive a months ban

As boards.ie is a private discussion website it is libel for remarks made by posters and therefore they are removed. Please keep this in mind when responding to a post.

Thanks,

Damo9090

darter

Thank you Damo9090 for re-opening this thread after the "time-out".

In future though, please don't lock it because a very small minority of posters are unable to heed your multiple warnings. The vast majority of us need this thread alive to keep ourselves informed of happenings at and with the harbour.

Back to the issues...

As discussed by John Gerrard on the facebook GUBOH page, that SISPAR are planning for stronger fencing around the site is indicative of their long-term plan of a secure site. Not good for the immediate and short term future for the harbour... :mad:

Fiachra2

Well presumably it had to be closed to remove the offending posts and the Mod has stated that in future offenders will be issued with bans.

The Durutti Column

Well, I object to my so-called offending post being removed. If RosieJoe can republish in its entirety a press release from Ciaran Hayden, why am I or others not allowed to comment on it? That's just partisan censorship...

Why was my point about Sispar's breach of procedure in leaking this news to individuals removed? Nothing "individual-bashing" about that.

Annasopra

The Durutti Column wrote: »

Well, I object to my so-called offending post being removed. If RosieJoe can republish in its entirety a press release from Ciaran Hayden, why am I or others not allowed to comment on it? That's just partisan censorship...

Why was my point about Sispar's breach of procedure in leaking this news to individuals removed? Nothing "individual-bashing" about that.

As per the forum charter moderation issues are not discussed on thread. If you have a problem pm the mods.

Fiachra2

Recent Press release from Tom Fortune


Mayor of Greystones Tom Fortune has welcomed the landscaping work being undertaken in the area where the Cliff walk arrives in Greystones. “The Town Council has not been supplied with details of the work being undertaken” said Councillor Fortune “however any improvements to this unsightly area are very welcome particularly given the importance of the cliff walk as a recreational resource and tourist attraction”
However Councillor Fortune went on to stress the need for a comprehensive solution for the harbour area. “Despite the work being undertaken the whole area still looks like a derelict building site with building materials and equipment littered throughout” said Fortune. “It is over a year since Sispar advised us that they were seeking support from NAMA to finance the Primary Care Centre. A year is long enough and there can certainly be no question of the harbour area being left in this condition for another summer”.
Councillor Fortune confirmed that he has asked Sispar and Wicklow County Council to prepare a Plan B for the next Harbour Liaison Committee meeting in late February. “This plan can be implemented in the event that the response from NAMA is negative or that it becomes apparent that the response will not come in time to landscape the area before the summer” said Fortune. “Greystones is fortunate that the harbour has been completed and that there is limited public access to one of the walls. However it is now time for a comprehensive solution for the whole site and I hope we will be presented with this in February”

F3

Hear Hear Mr. Fortune

youknowwho

I hope this isn't more rhetoric and posturing.

Are the liaison meetings open to the public or are there any meetings at which the public can attend?

pixbyjohn

Approach to Greystones on Cliff Walk by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

Fencing at Greystones North Beach by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

pixbyjohn

New green fencing at North Beach, Greystones by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

dudmis

I went for a walk around there this morning - it was truly depressing (and having to wipe the dog poo off the buggies wheels didn't make it any better).

If I was a visitor to Wicklow and walked from Bray along the Cliff Walk, I would be horrified to be met by the end of the path. It is not acceptable.

Thanks to Tom Fortune for putting some more pressure on Sispar and WCC - this needs to be sorted before summer.

Fiachra2

pixbyjohn wrote: »

New green fencing at North Beach, Greystones by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

In fairness, not much of an improvement!

F3

pixbyjohn wrote: »

New green fencing at North Beach, Greystones by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

Wow!!!!!! This is fantastic, thank-you so much Sispar, WCC & GTC, I bet they'll be coming to visit Greystones from miles way now, super super super, well done to you all, take a long hard look at the pix by John of the new cliff walk approach fencing and say to yourself, "I did this all by myself" then pat yourself on the back and have another drink of what ever it is you've been drinking.

F3

pixbyjohn wrote: »

Approach to Greystones on Cliff Walk by pixbyjohn, on Flickr

Ah come on Fiachra, can you not see the hidden beauty in this picture? hang on....I lost it.......but I swear it was there a moment ago, I'll let you know when I see it again.....