Thomond Weir Bridge

lockman

Interesting piece in The Limerick Post about the possibility of turning the disused weir in Thomond into a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists.

Limerick Post:


LIMERICK City and County Council is about to carry out preliminary works on a second river crossing in the historic King’s Island area of the city.

The local authority recently acquired Thomond Weir and the associated fish packing building from the ESB for an undisclosed sum and now plans to develop the site, 500 metres north of Thomond Bridge, as a bridge for pedestrians and cyclists.

For more see the Post:
http://www.limerickpost.ie/2016/05/12/bridge-thomond-weir-set-open-limerick-city/

Berty

Another waste of money. The two areas are already linked by a bridge as it is.

I don't think it brings anything extra to either area and those from outside the areas will not venture between the two areas as a thoroughfare.

Special Circumstances

Read too quickly, thought we were getting a "were-bridge". For the werewolves.

http://www.limerickpost.ie/2014/07/11/limericks-werewolf-invasion/

phog

Berty wrote: »

Another waste of money. The two areas are already linked by a bridge as it is.

I don't think it brings anything extra to either area and those from outside the areas will not venture between the two areas as a thoroughfare.

I'm not so sure, if it connects to the red path and onto the Shannon fields and then onto the canal path it would be a great cycling path to/from UL or just people can use it for a leisure walk or spin on the bike.

Red King

Berty wrote: »

Another waste of money. The two areas are already linked by a bridge as it is.

I don't think it brings anything extra to either area and those from outside the areas will not venture between the two areas as a thoroughfare.

I wouldn't cycle near there if I was paid.

juneg

Red King wrote: »

I wouldn't cycle near there if I was paid.

+100

and the only people who would be foolish enough to go down there are tourists.

Is that where Limerick Council really wants to lure pedestrians:eek:

johnnyryan89

phog wrote: »

I'm not so sure, if it connects to the red path and onto the Shannon fields and then onto the canal path it would be a great cycling path to/from UL or just people can use it for a leisure walk or spin on the bike.

The Island bank is still wrecked from the floods and nothing has been mentioned about fixing it back up again so gonna be years before its restored back to a public walk way and cycle way.

Can't see this bridge being done because residents whose houses will be at either end of the bridge have already raised concerns and will object to it because you are basically making it easier for dickheads on both sides of the river to get to each other and cause trouble. Also the people whose houses were affected by the flood will protest it because two years later and no proper flood defences have been installed and can't see a bridge being done before flood defences.

johnnyryan89

juneg wrote: »

+100

and the only people who would be foolish enough to go down there are tourists.

Is that where Limerick Council really wants to lure pedestrians:eek:

Before the floods you had all kinds of people who weren't from St Mary's Park using the bank whether it be people jogging, cycling or just out for a stroll.

So regardless of what you may hear we won't steal your shoes or knife you just because you're an outsider.

Red King

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

Before the floods you had all kinds of people who weren't from St Mary's Park using the bank whether it be people jogging, cycling or just out for a stroll.

So regardless of what you may hear we won't steal your shoes or knife you just because you're an outsider.

The problem however is that, whether people like it or not, there is no escaping the fact that groups of teenagers from all over the Northside have caused all kinds of hassle for people who are otherwise minding their own business.

I have had enough bad experiences with these louts terrorising my family that I would be happy if I never set foot in the Northside of Limerick ever again.

johnnyryan89

Red King wrote: »

The problem however is that, whether people like it or not, there is no escaping the fact that groups of teenagers from all over the Northside have caused all kinds of hassle for people who are otherwise minding their own business.

I have had enough bad experiences with these louts terrorising my family that I would be happy if I never set foot in the Northside of Limerick ever again.

Unfortunately that happens all over Limerick not just the northside but was more pointing to the fact that one poster said the only people who wonder down there are tourists. I passed loads of people on the island bank who weren't from St Marys Park when walking my dog, was a popular walk way but will be a long time before its a walk way again which is why I can't see this bridge being redeveloped any time soon or even being done at all.

OfTheMarsWongs

I've cycled the Island Bank many times and never had an issue. Would love to see it reopened.

Regards the widening of sections under the bridge, all grand and well but what about the rocks between it and Thomond Bridge? There's a reason the Abbey was picked to be the navigable one.

phog

Red King wrote: »

I wouldn't cycle near there if I was paid.

I've walked it a few times and never had any hassle, I also think the more the public would use it the safer it would be.

dunworth1

Red King wrote:

I have had enough bad experiences with these louts terrorising my family that I would be happy if I never set foot in the Northside of Limerick ever again.

It's this kind of crap which continues to give limerick a bad name

The north side of the city is no worse than the south side

There will be ""louts"" everywhere you go
A cycle bridge wouldn't be a bad idea might breath some life into that area which has been abandoned for years.
Who knows maybe if people were regularly using the area it may discourage these ""louts""

Red King

dunworth1 wrote: »

It's this kind of crap which continues to give limerick a bad name

The north side of the city is no worse than the south side

There will be ""louts"" everywhere you go
A cycle bridge wouldn't be a bad idea might breath some life into that area which has been abandoned for years.
Who knows maybe if people were regularly using the area it may discourage these ""louts""

Absolute rubbish. The only thing that gives Limerick a bad name is the kind of people I am talking about that threaten, harass and assault innocent people for no good reason except their own sick entertainment. Next after them are their apologizers, people like you, who make every excuse for these animals.

But I'm not one bit surprised that you would hold this opinion.

dunworth1

Red King wrote:

Next after them are their apologizers, people like you, who make every excuse for these animals.

Red King wrote:

But I'm not one bit surprised that you would hold this opinion.

Nowhere did I make an excuse for the "animals" as you call them


Your tarnishing everyone in an area with the same brush

There's lots of decent people living in those areas also, why should they not benefit from new things because of a few.

You seem to dislike people who are from a certain area and don't want them to get anything.

Spudmonkey

Went into St Marys today to have a look at where the weir is. What an unmerciful kip it is.

I'm normally for any sort of development which happens in the town but this would be a complete waste of money.

dunworth1

Spudmonkey wrote:

I'm normally for any sort of development which happens in the town but this would be a complete waste of money.

If no investment is made in the area it will stay a kip.

Having the bride open and actively being used the council will have to put effort into keeping the area clean

johnnyryan89

Spudmonkey wrote: »

Went into St Marys today to have a look at where the weir is. What an unmerciful kip it is.

I'm normally for any sort of development which happens in the town but this would be a complete waste of money.

Can thank the regeneration for the place being the kip it is today. I know the place wasn't that great before the whole regeneration idea was mentioned but the regeneration really made a mess of the place and turned it into a glorified building site. They came in and started boarding up houses and knocking them for fun without any real idea of what they wanted to do and some of these houses were in great condition but went to ruin from being boarded up for the last four to five years. They came in with the idea of improving the area but just made it worse.

The flood two years ago didn't help either in ruining the only good thing the area had in the Island bank walkway.

OfTheMarsWongs

Would be a more relaxing fishing spot than Thomond Bridge too. No cars.

phog

Spudmonkey wrote: »

Went into St Marys today to have a look at where the weir is. What an unmerciful kip it is.

I'm normally for any sort of development which happens in the town but this would be a complete waste of money.

There's a reason for that and the blame doesn't really lay with the people living there.

yop

*Mod Note * Okay folks, warned one poster, don't attack the poster. Keep it civil please.

Spudmonkey

phog wrote: »

There's a reason for that and the blame doesn't really lay with the people living there.

How can you say that. Yes some of the houses are boarded up which adds to the dereliction but many of the occupied ones may as well have been.

I later drove out past the soldiers houses. Many of them probably from a similar era and they were all immaculately maintained so don't go absolving people of any sort of personal responsibility.

Spudmonkey

dunworth1 wrote: »

If no investment is made in the area it will stay a kip.

Having the bride open and actively being used the council will have to put effort into keeping the area clean

I acknowledge that. However, how is this in anyway going to make the council increase their effort into renovating the area? What is the point of the new bridge with an existing one a few hundred metres down the way?

Spudmonkey

johnnyryan89 wrote: »

Can thank the regeneration for the place being the kip it is today. I know the place wasn't that great before the whole regeneration idea was mentioned but the regeneration really made a mess of the place and turned it into a glorified building site. They came in and started boarding up houses and knocking them for fun without any real idea of what they wanted to do and some of these houses were in great condition but went to ruin from being boarded up for the last four to five years. They came in with the idea of improving the area but just made it worse.

The flood two years ago didn't help either in ruining the only good thing the area had in the Island bank walkway.

All fair points.

dunworth1

Spudmonkey wrote:

I acknowledge that. However, how is this in anyway going to make the council increase their effort into renovating the area? What is the point of the new bridge with an existing one a few hundred metres down the way?

At the moment there wouldn't be much foot traffic going through that area.

Once the bridge is active you would expect to see a large increase in traffic heading through the area. Ie. People walking/cycling

I would think that the more people are moving through an area the more notice that the council will take

I could be completely wrong but I hope not it would be a real shame if the completed the bridge and didn't bother with the surrounding area.

johnnyryan89

dunworth1 wrote: »

At the moment there wouldn't be much foot traffic going through that area.

Once the bridge is active you would expect to see a large increase in traffic heading through the area. Ie. People walking/cycling

I would think that the more people are moving through an area the more notice that the council will take

I could be completely wrong but I hope not it would be a real shame if the completed the bridge and didn't bother with the surrounding area.

Only way to improve the surrounding area down here would be to bulldoze it and start again but anything is better then nothing really I guess. Unfortunately I can't see this bridge being done anytime soon or even being done at all.

zulutango

It makes a fair bit more sense than the proposed footbridge at Merchant's Quay anyway. What outcomes can be expected from the project and do these represent good value for the money invested?

johnnyryan89

zulutango wrote: »

It makes a fair bit more sense than the proposed footbridge at Merchant's Quay anyway.

Only if they actually plan on restoring the Island bank back to the way it was or even making it better. As someone pointed out that if this was done and they linked it with other walk ways like the canal bank and Shannon fields then it would be worth while.

Also was there any mention with what they plan on doing with the buildings on the Kileely side of the weir? A cousin of mine said they planned on doing boat building in the buildings and the walk way was being done for people from down here if they wanted to do the boat building. Whether it's true or not I don't know but he's involved with Ray O'Halloran who runs Limerick City Build so you'd never know.

zulutango wrote: »

What outcomes can be expected from the project and do these represent good value for the money invested?

Hard to tell really but hopefully they release more on what they plan to do. Would be cool and much cheaper if they opened the back of Sarsfield House, actually done something with the Potato Market and built a walkway along the side of the castle and back of the courthouse instead of this bridge, it would do the same as what they want to do with the bridge by getting people to the castle easier and so much cheaper. Then use the money left over for something which could actually benefit the city and make it a more attractable place to want to be and live in. That walkway could then link with the Island bank and Thomond Weir when they are done and create a riverside walkway all the way from Arthurs Quay park to the canal and even on to the UL.

lockman

This week's Limerick Post has a centre-page spread on the Thomond weir story. They even sent a reporter down to investigate.


Limerick Post:
Great ideas flow from Thomond Weir
Alan Jacques | May 19, 2016

Thomond Weir on the River Shannon.
LIMERICK City and County Council have purchased Thomond Weir and its fish packing facility from the ESB and now have plans for a footbridge linking the Northside of the city. Limerick Post reporter Alan Jacques visited the site.

For more:
http://www.limerickpost.ie/2016/05/19/great-ideas-flow-thomond-weir/

keane2097

Did anything happen subsequently with these plans or has it been mothballed?

johnnyryan89

Will never happen, residents have kicked up an awful stink about it and can't see it going ahead.

zulutango

That's a real shame. I can understand why the communities are opposed to it, but in the long run I think it would be beneficial for them.

johnnyryan89

zulutango wrote: »

That's a real shame. I can understand why the communities are opposed to it, but in the long run I think it would be beneficial for them.

Isn't it just a walking bridge, can't see much benefit it would bring except knock time off your walk if you were going from one side of the river to the otherside.

Residents whose houses face the river are the only people who really oppose it as they'll be the ones with the most hassle from scobes who might want to cause trouble, regeneration think it's the first step to help solving the on-going feud. There was talk of them trying to build a road from the island to the long pavement.

damowill

The Council need to talk to the residents and inform them of the good it can bring to the area. You look at O' Callaghan Strand, Clancy Strand, Haverys Quay and even look at the Canal bank along the Plassey walk, and the footfall they bring. Browns Quay & Thomond weir and the Island need to be more open. For me, Kings Island is the most beautiful part of Limerick. You are on an island surrounded by water, in a medieval part of the city with a backdrop of mountains. If it was any other city in the world then the rich and those that have, would be living here. I'm not even sure they appreciate what they have! To be honest i'd scrap the Regeneration and be better off having it all knocked and rebuilt with a mixture of houses & apartments.

johnnyryan89

damowill wrote: »

The Council need to talk to the residents and inform them of the good it can bring to the area. You look at O' Callaghan Strand, Clancy Strand, Haverys Quay and even look at the Canal bank along the Plassey walk, and the footfall they bring. Browns Quay & Thomond weir and the Island need to be more open. For me, Kings Island is the most beautiful part of Limerick. You are on an island surrounded by water, in a medieval part of the city with a backdrop of mountains. If it was any other city in the world then the rich and those that have, would be living here. I'm not even sure they appreciate what they have! To be honest i'd scrap the Regeneration and be better off having it all knocked and rebuilt with a mixture of houses & apartments.

Have you walked the island bank lately? And what benefits is a bridge between thomondgate and the island gonna bring? Any footfall is gonna be at thomond bridge anyway and comes down the strand onto the island bank and can only get as far as the handball ally.

And I agree the place should have been flattened and rebuilt again with a mixture of housing.