What's going on at Sandycove?

jpfahy

A small section of the park beside Sandycove has been closed off for a few months now but today the whole park has been closed off with barriers and a lot of machinery/portacabins, etc. have arrived. Anyone know what is going on?? It's a public park but there's no sign or anything there to say what is happening.

All the council has said, is that works are taking place....http://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/news/general-news/works-otranto-seaside-gardens-sandycove

it would be nice to see some plans.

Spanish Eyes

Contact the council or your councillor.

jpfahy

We had such fun in the park there when we were kids (60's, 70's), playing chasing and hide&seek around the labyrinth of paths there. We used to call that park 'the bushes in Sandycove'. When we were a bit older we used to jump across onto the roof of the baths. I see in the photo that that bit of high ground has been bulldozed already. I presume we'll now end up with a park that is all PC and no fun.

Green Party: Ossian Smyth

Otranto Seaside Gardens are being renovated over the coming weeks.



This is the original design (the detailed design may differ)
http://www.ossiansmyth.ie/wp-content/uploads/2018/02/Otranto-Seaside-Gardens.pdf

Awaaf

Thanks for posting that Ossian. I remember the fun of playing there as a child as a previous poster has said but I think the features that made it fun for kids in simpler times makes it a place where people wouldn't feel very safe nowadays. Hopefully the remodelling will have the desired effect. Given the huge popularity of the seafront at Scotsman's Bay I think the council should look into making the lower walkway usable from Sandycove through to the Baths area. I recognise it has some of the same issues as the Otrranto Place park and I realise they may be reluctant due to risk from waves and the path getting covered in seaweed and other stuff in high times. Maybe it could be locked at dangerous times?

qb123

The park as it presently is set out is fine and enjoyed by children (including my own) and many others who choose to either stroll through, sit on the bench, sit on the hilly bit for a break or picnic etc. It was in no way dangerous. What is currently happening is taking away all character from it and going to make it look like any other landscaped area with all the usual council approved features. In other words, a complete waste of money sanitising what was already a lovely spot.

schemingbohemia

qb123 wrote: »

The park as it presently is set out is fine and enjoyed by children (including my own) and many others who choose to either stroll through, sit on the bench, sit on the hilly bit for a break or picnic etc. It was in no way dangerous. What is currently happening is taking away all character from it and going to make it look like any other landscaped area with all the usual council approved features. In other words, a complete waste of money sanitising what was already a lovely spot.

Disagree, always thought it was a bit unloved with poor planting and seemed dark all the time, this looks like it will open it up and make it brighter and will see more use of it. Never saw many people there when walking through.

ted1

It was untidy and unkept , paths were in bits. Trees and shrubbery looked miserable.

Let’s let them finish before you form an opinion.

ted1

ted1 wrote: »

It was untidy and unkept , paths were in bits. Trees and shrubbery looked miserable.

Let’s let them finish before you form an opinion.

lets face it though, DLRCOCO are completely incapable of maintaining anything long term, so this will be nice for a while and then become over grown, broken and untidy.

jpfahy

ted1 wrote: »

It was untidy and unkept , paths were in bits. Trees and shrubbery looked miserable.

Let’s let them finish before you form an opinion.

DLRCC seem to spend absolutely zero maintaining and upgrading their parks (with certain notable exceptions). All the beautiful parks around Dalkey in particular are deteriorating badly. The only works being carried out there are being done by local volunteer groups. DLRCC have let the park at Sandycove deteriorate for years into its present sad condition. That's why few people were frequenting it.
They now have contractors in to turn it into a maintenance free sterile area that they will not have to employ staff to maintain.
DLRCC seem to have nobody working outside but hundreds in their HQ doing God knows what.

Kingp35

jpfahy wrote: »

DLRCC seem to spend absolutely zero maintaining and upgrading their parks (with certain notable exceptions). All the beautiful parks around Dalkey in particular are deteriorating badly.

Couldn't agree with this more. I'm from Dalkey and spent all my time as a child playing around Dillons and Sorrento Park. Sorrento Park in particular is really run down. It has a beautiful bandstand and open area that would look incredible if a bit of work was put into it but the it's deterioting very badly. The park itself is very overgrown.

DLRCC should have a dedicated park maintenance team and if they do already have one then they should ensure that the team does their job better and more efficiently. DLRCC has many beautiful parks, they need to keep it that way.

lawred2

That'll be an even nicer place now for the knackers to go drinking and fighting on a nice summer's day when everyone else is at work paying taxes to keep them in ale and fags

frash

Kingp35 wrote: »

DLRCC should have a dedicated park maintenance team and if they do already have one then they should ensure that the team does their job better and more efficiently. DLRCC has many beautiful parks, they need to keep it that way.

They do
Contact parks@dlrcoco.ie

jpfahy

frash wrote: »

They do
Contact parks@dlrcoco.ie

For the whole big parks area that covers Killiney Hill, Pine Forest, Whiterock, Dalkey Hill, Dalkey Quarry, Burmah Road, etc. the DLRCC team consists of just THREE men (none of whom, it must be said, are in the first flush of youth). Absolutely disgraceful.

Green Party: Ossian Smyth

Awaaf wrote:

Given the huge popularity of the seafront at Scotsman's Bay I think the council should look into making the lower walkway usable from Sandycove through to the Baths area. I recognise it has some of the same issues as the Otrranto Place park and I realise they may be reluctant due to risk from waves and the path getting covered in seaweed and other stuff in high times. Maybe it could be locked at dangerous times?

This is an interesting idea and I've asked for it to be considered for feasibility in the capital programme.

I think this is the walkway you are referring to - the one that runs along the top of the rocks.


The Parks dept are not perfect so please let me know of any shortcoming in the parks you visit.

There are more than 60 parks in DLR. I voted a parks maintenance budget of €9.1M for 2018 (up from €8.6m in 2017). In addition to this there is a large capital budget for parks currently under renegotiation. The draft budget includes: €7m for new parks in Sandyford. €5m for upgrade of playing pitches. €2m to develop Fernhill Estate into a major park.

Fernhill was acquired for €4.25m by the council from the previous owner who had paid €45m for it. You can visit it on Sundays at the moment to see the progress to date and I recommend this. It's on an elevated sites with incredible views of Dublin. http://www.dlrcoco.ie/en/news/general-news/fernhill-will-open-pedestrians-every-sunday-february-9am-3pm


A new park has been designed for the Hudson Rd field in Glasthule which was acquired from Ben Dunne. Three new parks are being constructed in Cherrywood as part of their planning conditions.

Tully Park, Cherrywood


Beckett Park, Cherrywood


Ticknick Park, Cherrywood


In the past good work has been done at the People's Park and Cabinteely Park. Sorrento Park had a new pathway and viewing area constructed last year and substantial work was done by the Dalkey Tidy Towns group to what is surely one of the most beautifully located parks in the country.

I think that’s one of the problems though. The council seem far more interested in capital projects than maintenance (I’ll try and avoid a rant about the appalling state of the roads here) and the modus operandi seems to be to do the absolute minimum, allow things to deteriorate and then splash out big bucks doing something new, when simple TLC is all it needs.

Green Party: Ossian Smyth

Awaaf wrote: »

Thanks for posting that Ossian. I remember the fun of playing there as a child as a previous poster has said but I think the features that made it fun for kids in simpler times makes it a place where people wouldn't feel very safe nowadays. Hopefully the remodelling will have the desired effect. Given the huge popularity of the seafront at Scotsman's Bay I think the council should look into making the lower walkway usable from Sandycove through to the Baths area. I recognise it has some of the same issues as the Otrranto Place park and I realise they may be reluctant due to risk from waves and the path getting covered in seaweed and other stuff in high times. Maybe it could be locked at dangerous times?

MEETING OF DÚN LAOGHAIRE AREA COMMITTEE
26 MARCH 2018
FAIR-WEATHER PROMENDADE
Question: Councillor O. Smyth
“To ask the Chief Executive to consider making the lower walkway usable as a fairweather promenade from Sandycove through to Newtownsmith by adding this as a project for feasibility assessment to the Capital Programme?”

Reply:
The area in question currently cannot be accessed due to the large rock outcrop formation. At present there are steps which connect the lower promenade with the upper promenade and allow walkers full access along the coast. A feasibility study will be carried out to see if it is desirable to link the lower promenade at the point in question.

Owner: Bridget Treacy, Senior Executive Parks Superintendent

Glencarraig

All these nice photos of parks and all weather pitches and not a decent running track, synthetic or otherwise in sight. Athletics the poor relation of sport always.

patrickbrophy18

What's going to become of the Derelict Building and Shed?

I think they would be suitable* places for a cafe and kiosk respectively.

*:Yes, recent weather patterns would render them temporarily unsuitable. However, generally the weather is bearable enough.

The rest of the plans are very nice and I imagine that the project will come in at a few million at least. A cafe and kiosk could serve to generate revenue for on-going maintenance thereafter.

patrickbrophy18

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

What's going to become of the Derelict Building and Shed?

I think they would be suitable* places for a cafe and kiosk respectively.

*:Yes, recent weather patterns would render them temporarily unsuitable. However, generally the weather is bearable enough.

The rest of the plans are very nice and I imagine that the project will come in at a few million at least. A cafe and kiosk could serve to generate revenue for on-going maintenance thereafter.

What derelict building?

Green Party: Ossian Smyth

Green Party: Ossian Smyth wrote: »

MEETING OF DÚN LAOGHAIRE AREA COMMITTEE
26 MARCH 2018
FAIR-WEATHER PROMENDADE
Question: Councillor O. Smyth
“To ask the Chief Executive to consider making the lower walkway usable as a fairweather promenade from Sandycove through to Newtownsmith by adding this as a project for feasibility assessment to the Capital Programme?”

Reply:
The area in question currently cannot be accessed due to the large rock outcrop formation. At present there are steps which connect the lower promenade with the upper promenade and allow walkers full access along the coast. A feasibility study will be carried out to see if it is desirable to link the lower promenade at the point in question.

Owner: Bridget Treacy, Senior Executive Parks Superintendent

I think there is some confusion there.

The reason you can't walk from the Sub Aqua club to the baths on the lower section is because of the sticky out bit at the end of Burdett Avenue and then the rocks used in the sea defence at the end of Newtownsmith. There is no rocky outcrop on that section.

ted1

Aegir wrote: »

patrickbrophy18 wrote: »

What's going to become of the Derelict Building and Shed?

I think they would be suitable* places for a cafe and kiosk respectively.

*:Yes, recent weather patterns would render them temporarily unsuitable. However, generally the weather is bearable enough.

The rest of the plans are very nice and I imagine that the project will come in at a few million at least. A cafe and kiosk could serve to generate revenue for on-going maintenance thereafter.

What derelict building?

I was going to ask the same.

Surely you could come yo with something better than a cafe.

Awaaf

Aegir wrote: »

I think there is some confusion there.

The reason you can't walk from the Sub Aqua club to the baths on the lower section is because of the sticky out bit at the end of Burdett Avenue and then the rocks used in the sea defence at the end of Newtownsmith. There is no rocky outcrop on that section.

Yes the physical obstacles are as you state. As I mentioned previously high tides and tidal debris may also be an issue but good to see that the council are examining this at least. Thanks Ossian for arranging this.

I see that the Forty Foot is still closed off. Did it sustain much damage after the storms?

The green area by the Joyce Tower also took a hell of a battering and some it collapsed and looks dangerous. It looks like the council are going to have to do some serious work along that stretch before the summer crowds come

Chinasea

No bins in most of the above mentioned parks either.

There has been no or extremely little amounts of trees planted also in the Dun Laoghaire area. We have lost 100s in recent years that either died naturally or were damaged due to the weather.

The few that get effed into the ground are not maintained nor properly supported in their first few years so end up snapping etc.