Tolka river works in Finglas

gurramok

Does anyone know what is going on here? http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=53.379201,-6.314102&spn=0.004954,0.009645&t=h&z=17&vpsrc=6

It does not show in the map(out of date) but a bunch of construction workers have moved into the area between the River Road and Ratoath Road(the green area) and have done some serious digging as well as fencing off the site.

What concerns me is that they seem to be building something on the site and yet this area from personal experience is a flood plain. Remember the year 2000 and 2002, well the area they were working in was overflowing with water from the Tolka back then.

Anyone knows what they are doing? Across the road from the site they have 'built' a cycle lane, any relation to the current works?

John Mason

It is supposed to be recretational. i seen plans a few ago.

There was an archaeological dig done on it a few months ago and again, I am sure the purpose was given as recretational.

the new cycle lane is brilliant and goes the whole way down to Violet Hill


EDIT: Am looking on the dublin city planning site and there was loads of developments for that area - what is the exact name?Home > Search Criteria > Search Results

Planning Application Search Results

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Your search returned 97 matches
Pages : [1] 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10

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Ref No. Description Location
0098/90 Development of 30 no. semi-detached and 24 no. terraced St Joseph's, Ratoath Road and extension on Navan, Cabra, Dublin 7
0110/02 Two Storey extension to the side and the rear of existing 67 Ratoath Road, Cabra West, Dublin 7
0113/00 Construct two storey block containing industrial and office Junction of Ballyboggan Road,, Ratoath Road,, Dublin 11.
0120/01 Ten year permission for a mixed use development comprising Lands at Pelletstown, bounded by Ratoath Road to the east,, Ashtown Road to the west, River roa, the north, the Royal Canal to, Finglas, Dublin 11
0120/01Sub01 Condition No. 4. Lands at Pelletstown, bounded by Ratoath Road to the east,, Ashtown Road to the west, River roa, the north, the Royal Canal to, Finglas, Dublin 11
0162/04 2-storey extension to the rear of the existing terraced house. 77, Ratoath Road, Dublin 7
0204/01 Dublin Corporation intends to construct an affordable Land adjacent to Scribblestown Lane and Valley Park Drive, Off Ratoath Road, Finglas, Dublin 11
0360/91 Erect factory extension. Reilly's Bridge, Ratoath Road, Dublin ll.
0399/03 Attic conversion to bedroom with dormer to hip side of roof and porch etc 32, Dunsoghly Drive, Ratoath Road, Finglas, Dublin 11
0530/04 SHEC - 2 no. dwellings in the side gardens of 2 no. houses 43, Ratoath Avenue, & 1 Deanstown Road, Finglas, Dublin 11

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© Swift LG

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None of them look to be the devellopment currently ongoing.

The nearest I can see on that list are

0120/01 Ten year permission for a mixed use development comprising Lands at Pelletstown, bounded by Ratoath Road to the east,, Ashtown Road to the west, River roa, the north, the Royal Canal to, Finglas, Dublin 11
0120/01Sub01 Condition No. 4. Lands at Pelletstown, bounded by Ratoath Road to the east,, Ashtown Road to the west, River roa, the north, the Royal Canal to, Finglas, Dublin 11

That couldn't be it, it's not really near the canal, also, the directions of the bounding roads are incorrect for the area

0204/01 Dublin Corporation intends to construct an affordable Land adjacent to Scribblestown Lane and Valley Park Drive, Off Ratoath Road, Finglas, Dublin 11

That seems to be further along the Rathoath Road, somewhere in between Scribblestown and Valley Park

We'll be down around Tolka Valley Park tomorrow, probably be able to go over and read the Planning Permission sign

John Mason

there are 10 more pages of planning permission but for some reason the link doesn't work when i post it.

lenny_11

See

http://www.dublincity.ie/RoadsandTraffic/ScheduledDisruptions/Documents/Traffic_News__15_October__2011_to_21_October_2011%5B1%5D.pdf

Half way down page 5!!

Gumbo

they have built new walk ways etc all the way from the Finglas Dual carraige way up through "The Stretch" (Tolka Valley Park), and they are putting in traffic lights and more walkways on the opposite side too, its to make the park more user friendly and i assume some anti flooding defences thrown in there too.

gurramok

I should have used Google streetview for the area, duh me
Here: http://maps.google.ie/maps?hl=en&ll=53.378778,-6.315819&spn=0.000006,0.009012&t=m&z=18&vpsrc=6&layer=c&cbll=53.378777,-6.313775&panoid=8bQhiRK1TvYDckKlcztSpw&cbp=12,222.71035799999993,,0,0

The field to the right of the parked car is where most of the digging is. As you can see the river in the pic, it looks quite small. But that is deceiving as back in the floods of 2000 and 2002, the entire field to the right(from 1st pylon to 2nd pylon in the distance) was like what parts of the Liffey is now, fast flowing like the weir at Lucan for example.

I just wonder if the council realise what they are doing if indeed they are creating a new park or building something else.

Gaspode

Some info in this thread as this bit of land runs up to (old) Scribblestown, which is D15.

gurramok

Ah, interesting indeed. So my fears have been allayed as they have taken into account of possible flooding. Lets hope it will be a thoroughly professional job.

I notice 'control access' at Scribblestown Lane, that is to stop dumping and unpleasant elements taking over the park.

Reposted

The construction of Cardiffsbridge Park started on site today for the engineering works contract. This contract will run for 6 months as of 26 August, the date of appointment of Wills Bros Contractors. It includes:

• Construction of a new shared cycle path/pedestrian footpath
• Construction of a new pedestrian bridge
• A new fishery enhancement scheme
• 3 new wetlands to control pollution in the river and flooding
• Installation of lighting and CCTV
• New park entrances
• New boundary treatment at Scribblestown Lane to control access

The project is being built in accordance with the planning permission received under Part 8 in 2007. Funding is from DCC levies and the National Transport Agency. This will bring the cycle route already constructed in 2010 at Tolka Valley Park from Finglas Road to Ratoath Road beyond to Ashtown. The works are being coordinated by Roads and Traffic Planning Department.

Following the successful completion of the engineering works contract, we will progress the softworks contract for the final grading and planting of the park. This will be co-ordinated by the Parks and Landscape Services Division. The park will then be opened to the public.

kerosene

Has any work been done recently to prevent flooding in this area from happening again? I can still picture the photo in the back of one of the tabloids of tolka park under what seemed to be at least 3 ft of water

Alkers

As posted its the Cardiffsbridge Park redesign, couple of paths and a cycle track going through it iirc, looks well on paper at least!

gurramok

kerosene wrote: »

Has any work been done recently to prevent flooding in this area from happening again? I can still picture the photo in the back of one of the tabloids of tolka park under what seemed to be at least 3 ft of water

Not in the new park they are building now. Works have been carried out at various points along the entire river and in Finglas(across the road from this new proposed park) since 2002 to prevent future flooding. The fields you see from the Google streetview were never touched before, all just green fields for decades!!

I used to live near this new proposed park and I still have the image in my head of seeing that area in the pic under fast flowing water. I was astonished back then and when I think of it now, it still brings back memories of how violent the Tolka river can become after much rainfall.

_blank_

"Cardiffsbridge Park"

Is that what the new section is going to be called?

Is that bridge down there actually Cardiffs bridge?

gurramok

Had me thinking there as the names of various bridges are nearly unknown to the general populace

Finglaswood bridge is indeed in the Tolka Valley Park
http://www.dublincity.ie/WaterWasteEnvironment/WasteWater/Documents/Tolka%20Valley%20Park%20ICW%20Collins%20and%20McEntee%20Feb%202009.pdf so the next bridge west has to be Cardiffsbridge as the bridge east of the above is Finglas bridge(i think!)

Strange that the bridge in the topic(well 2 of them, the old one off the road and the modern one for the Ratoath Rd) is nowhere near Cardiffsbridge rd and Cardiffsbridge Rd actually does not lead to Cardiffsbridge itself though quite close by.

After all this, I wonder what is going to happen with the River Road at this new park end, will they end up closing it or leaving it as is with this famed new pedestrian bridge linking the park to Ashtown? I cannot tell from the info we have and the building works going on.

Oh, another thing. Why are they building this new park in the winter months when the Tolka is notorious for flooding in the winter? Now that would be one major cock-up!!

_blank_

Interesting link, thanks.

Finglaswood Stream is a new one on me, it must be totally culverted. There's another one that flows into the Tolka called the Scribblestown Stream, it runs behind the house, and is as wide as the Tolka is in the Park, It flows under the Rathoath Road at Dunsink Lane, down behind the house and into the Tolka somewhere near the River Road, you can see it here if you use satellite view, but it's not on a map


So, there's The Rathoath Road traffic bridge, and just off it is Cardiffs Bridge, I was on that this evening.

There is another bridge about 200m further upstream on the Tolka, wonder what that one is called.

Dirk Gently

Des wrote: »

There is another bridge about 200m further upstream on the Tolka, wonder what that one is called.

200m upstream from cardiffsbridge? There's only a wire weir a few 100m upstream from cardiffsbridge.

Gurramok, I have a very old pic of cardiffsbridge, complete with 3 cottages and plots on the site right on the bridge. Cardiffsbridge rd road did once lead to the bridge. I'll try route out the pic and post it up.

As regards the works going on, it's a continuation of tolka valley park, new walk ways through the flood plains, some dredging and mound works along the river. It's suppose to be a wetlands type area. It is financed from the council fees paid by developers of the nearby river road apartments.

edit: Found pic

horse/cart travelling from river road side towards current ratoath rd side. scribblestown lane top left, road forking off to cardiffsbridge rd top right. Also see the road up towards valley park past the scribblestown lane turn.

gurramok

Do put up the pic Dirk Gently.

200m up from Cardiffsbridge? Just thinking in my mind where that could be as I am familiar with walking all the way from said bridge up to Ashtown in my younger days.

Des, you not indicating the bridge at the level crossing at Ashtown for said bridge?(near agricultural institute) Or maybe perhaps half way up where there is(certainly was) a pair of iron girders going across the Tolka?

And Scribblestown stream, yes it flows left of Valley Park estate down to the Tolka near the Garden Centre.

Des wrote:

So, there's The Rathoath Road traffic bridge, and just off it is Cardiffs Bridge, I was on that this evening.

As I was driving by, I made a big effort to have a gawk at said works as the barriers(wooden) were down at the roadside and spotted a bloke inside on the path off the site, was that you at about 5:30pm?.(LOL)

Dirk Gently

gurramok wrote: »

Do put up the pic Dirk Gently.

pic should be showing now in my post above?

yeah, nothing between cardiffsbridge and ashtown bridge except for weirs and the old iron bars that use to be up near morgans nusery inbetween ashtown and cardiffsbridge. I think Des is seeing things or else he's on the wrong river altogether

gurramok

Nope, no link to pic in your post!

Wow, you do know stuff about the local area, were you my neighbour in a yesteryear?

I wonder if that old house beside the pitch n putt course just before the Ashtown bridge is still there, you know the one on the far side near the football pitch. Link: http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Ratoath+Rd,+Dublin,+County+Dublin,+Ireland&hl=en&ie=UTF8&ll=53.379367,-6.329627&spn=0.004954,0.009645&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=37.735377,71.982422&vpsrc=6&geocode=FQR1LgMdfref_w&hnear=Dublin,+County+Cathair+%C3%81tha+Cliath,+Ireland&t=h&hq=Ratoath+Rd,&z=17 (slightly north of centre in pic).

Back in the day of the late 80's when I was a young lad on a exploring adventure(:)), a bloke came out of that house with a shotgun threatening us kids for tresspassing. I'd say he was there to scare us and did a good job!

Dirk Gently

Andy lords house, he ran the pitch and putt years ago. house is still there, looks a bit worse for ware but still cars coming and going so he's still living there. I walk the dog down that way sometimes, up the fields on the river road side, across ashtown bridge and back down by andy lords coming back out onto scribblestown lane. The field adjacent to the tolka between morgans and andy lords is used for horse training now, jumping over poles etc and the field the other side of it across the lane (the old jump fields) has stables and that there now, some lads work out of morgans there too looking after the horses.

Access isn't great, lots of high railings, fencing and barbed wire, hopefully this new development will open it up a bit but I was talking to morgan and he said it was done to stop access to cars and bikes rallying, which in fairness it has done. it's a much quieter place than when we might have been adventuring all those years ago. I never managed to get shot at by andy lord though in fairness. morgan did take a shot at us once as well as the honourable travelling community up at dunsink . fun times (except the odd time when their aim was half way good )

yeah we're old neighbours, had this conversation before under my old name clown bag. You were saying you hung around with my cousins as a kid.

dont know why you cant see the pic, it's showing up in the post for me. I'll play with it some more tomorrow and hopefully it will show.

EDIT: Try the link below for cardiffsbridge...

http://www.freeimagehosting.net/6454c

gurramok

Ah change of nick got me I just looked over pm's there, and yes I remember you now

I used to ramble between Ratoath Rd and Ashtown bridge cutting across many fields back in the 90's. Is it still like that or as you say many parts cordoned off with fencing? It used to get difficult just past the garden centre, like an obstacle course to get to within reach of that pitch n putt course!

I even tried back in 2002 just before the big flood hit to walk across the fields but no luck as I was annoyed as the ground was so soggy. Walking on the left hand side of the river(heading west) seemed to be easier somehow, it led all the way up to the horse stables and an abandoned old house.

I do remember the Scribblestown stream at Woodbank\Westwood(down the hill from here), was there really quicksand there? All the other kids used to say avoid a particular stretch of the stream like the plague, have wondered were they for real or not!

_blank_

That's a cool pic, looks like it was taken by someone who lives in the apartments with a time machine window.

I can see my house. Well, where my house is now.

Might print that picture off.

Gumbo

just to help Dirk Gently out, us Finglas heads need to stick together



Can someone shed some light on the photos location please?

Dirk Gently

kceire wrote: »

Can someone shed some light on the photos location please?

It's from the river road side of the bridge, looking across to the new estate at scribblestown lane. I'll take a pic from the same point of what it looks like now and post it tomorrow or during the week some time.

Gumbo

Dirk Gently wrote: »

It's from the river road side of the bridge, looking across to the new estate at scribblestown lane. I'll take a pic from the same point of what it looks like now and post it tomorrow or during the week some time.

Photo taken from the left of this picture?

Dirk Gently

yeah, pretty much where the flood water meets the river road at the extreme left of your photo. The tolka is epic during flood :pac:

Gumbo

Dirk Gently wrote: »

yeah, pretty much where the flood water meets the river road at the extreme left of your photo. The tolka is epic during flood :pac:

yeah have it sussed now

_blank_

Dirk Gently wrote: »

The tolka is epic during flood :pac:

Not further dowstream :eek:

I'm a Shels fan, floods nearly ruined the club

europhile

Delighted to have found this thread. I'm a blow-in to the area and, although I'm aware of the plans to develop the linear park, the works look so major, I was worried that a road was being built there to connect the Ratoath Road up with the M50 or the N3. Appreciate all the information even if I don't know exactly some of the landmarks you're referring to. Thanks.

Gumbo

europhile wrote: »

Delighted to have found this thread. I'm a blow-in to the area and, although I'm aware of the plans to develop the linear park, the works look so major, I was worried that a road was being built there to connect the Ratoath Road up with the M50 or the N3. Appreciate all the information even if I don't know exactly some of the landmarks you're referring to. Thanks.

the ratoath road is connected to the river road, and the river road is connected to the navan road, and the navan road is connected to the M50, sang in the tune of that old milk ad

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ygf0gRQsUb4

Sorry, couldnt resist.

gurramok

kceire wrote: »

Photo taken from the left of this picture?

Nice pic kceire, is that from 2002 or from year 2000? That flood is what I was describing in my previous post and just think they are building a new park here!

Gumbo

gurramok wrote: »

Nice pic kceire, is that from 2002 or from year 2000? That flood is what I was describing in my previous post and just think they are building a new park here!

im not sure tbh, i stole borrowed it from Google. but looking at it, i remember it being used around the floods from a year or 2 ago.

Dirk Gently

I hope they got their JCB's out of the field this afternoon. Could be seeing repeat of that flood again this evening.

_blank_

I drove from Ashtown to Finglas at about 3.30/4 this afternoon and it hadn't burst yet, I wouldn't go back down this evening though.

Gaspode

It's filling up nicely now, good test of where they've put the path I guess.

No1J

Gaspode wrote: »

It's filling up nicely now, good test of where they've put the path I guess.

Any up date on the river road or is it just river now?

John Mason

it was pretty much a river at 4pm - can only imagine what it is like now.

there was also a burst pipe at the tolka valley road / ratoath road junction

No1J

irishbird wrote: »

it was pretty much a river at 4pm - can only imagine what it is like now.

there was also a burst pipe at the tolka valley road / ratoath road junction

Is the road closed, thought it would be.
Some times the shores there can be a bit like fountains running down from the old tip, thank's.

Gaspode

River road seems alright around Ashtown crossroads, but not much traffic coming through. I suspect there is standing water at a few points that some drivers wont risk.

gurramok

Has all that rainwater passed down the Tolka yet?

AlternateID

gurramok wrote: »

Has all that rainwater passed down the Tolka yet?

Hi,

This is Tuesday morning,



And today,

Gumbo

^^^^^^^^^^^

The works are bigger than i thought. surely there was some sort of site plan / landscape plan prepared for this? Would love to see what the plans are like?

gurramok

LOl kceire as I said before the rains..
"Why are they building this new park in the winter months when the Tolka is notorious for flooding in the winter?"

Incompetence perhaps?

Gumbo

gurramok wrote: »

LOl kceire as I said before the rains..
"Why are they building this new park in the winter months when the Tolka is notorious for flooding in the winter?"

Incompetence perhaps?

Nah, i'd say its more to do with finance and budget requirements.
DCC could of applied for funding for it and when approved, told it must be started before X time frame.

Theres many contracts starting at the moment including road re-surfacing throughout the city that simply has to be done now or the money will not be there for it next year. I think the benefits outway the negitives tbh, i just hope it can be built to a good standard, but if im honest, the Council parks dept seem to excell in most of their works.

_blank_

Dirk Gently wrote: »

200m upstream from cardiffsbridge? There's only a wire weir a few 100m upstream from cardiffsbridge.

gurramok wrote: »

200m up from Cardiffsbridge? Just thinking in my mind where that could be as I am familiar with walking all the way from said bridge up to Ashtown in my younger days.

Or maybe perhaps half way up where there is(certainly was) a pair of iron girders going across the Tolka?

So, had a look at the works at the weekend, from a car driving up the River Road, there is indeed a new bridge being constructed, about half way between Cardiff's Bridge and the Ashtown junction, it seems to be at the location of those steel girders, the works go all the way up to Ashtown, so it's quite extensive, I wonder will they properly develop the area under the traffic bridge on the Rathoath Road, so you can walk from Tolka Valley Park into this new area in comfort.

John Mason

it also looks like they are construction a new pond area.

they have the bases of all the footpaths down, if they could put a bit of street lighting it would be great for walking up the pub in the Ashtown

Dirk Gently

sorry to bump an old thread but I've been walking the dogs down here lately and have seen the park develop over the months.

I have to say they've done a fantastic job. All the heavy lifting and levels seem to be finished, just a bit of landscaping left. It's due to open in july I think.

Anyway, the reason I post today is because I've seen the work they've done on the banks of the river, on constructing over flows to take excess flood water and divert it and also the 3 artificial lakes which are a level down from each other with over flows running between them all.

Anyone who knows the stretch from the silver spoon to ashtown bridge knows its a swamp at the best of times and a full blown sea in times of flood.

I wandered down with the dogs today to see how well the engineering held up with all the rain we got yesterday and today.

The tolka itself is raging and at a high level but all the outlets and overflows are working a treat, diverting flood water into soak areas and releasing them back into the river at various parts. Not one single sq inch of newly laid footpath is in any danger of being flooded while the river rages.

The council got all of their levels spot on and I have to give them a huge thumbs up after I walked the length of it today inspecting all their drainage works.

Dub city council might fail at privatising bins but they win at building parks in a flood plain.


This is the new bridge people were talking about earlier. Note it still has a lot of capacity to take even more flood water with the raised banks and 4 channels under the bridge itself.



this is the lowest level lake of the 3.


view upstream from new bridge


view down stream from same bridge. flood water all channelled through the river.


another flood outlet doing it's job. note the pathway is completely untouched with flood water.



over flow in action. This is at the back of morgans flower centre for anyone who knows the area.



same over flow. It takes in excess water from a few hundred metres up stream and discharges back at this point. The left hand side of this pic is usually bone dry except for floods. The flood breached it further up stream bringing it into play. Theres a good 6 feet of water on the left there that is usually a dry channel running parallel to the river.

Murph_D

I know this is an old thread but I just cycled the new bike lane in this park this morning and was impressed with the works. The new part of the park is especially nice, very natural design. I wonder could this park ever be linked up with the "other" Tolka Valley park in Blanchardstown-Mulhuddart?

Anyway, well done to all concerned. This park is looking so much better than it did back in the 80s

ollie103

I that that linking both parks is the ultimate intention, creating Tolka Valley Regional Park. But it is a long-term project and with public funding so scarce, lets not hold our breaths while waiting.

I also think that funding has been allocated for improvement works to the Royal Canal pathway and that should also really increase connectivity between both areas.

January

How would they link both parks with the huge M50 in the middle of them both??

Murph_D

January wrote: »

How would they link both parks with the huge M50 in the middle of them both??

It would undoubtedly be a challenge, but the Liffey already passes under the M50. Not sure how much clearance there is however. It might also be possible to integrate the Royal Canal aquaduct at this point. Not easy though!