Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has called for the pedestrianisation of the Marina on Sundays from the Atlantic Pond to almost Blackrock Village.
“The four weeks in October whereby almost 60 per cent of the walkway was pedestrianised has shown that there is public support for the initiative. The play areas on the road added to the enjoyment of the space by families. Great credit is due to local volunteers who manned such areas and traffic barriers. The calm weather of October brought hundreds of people out to experience the Marina in a different light whereby people could enjoy the space without the cars passing through”.
Cllr McCarthy, who gave a historical walking tour along the Marina as part of the pedestrianisation project, highlights that the potential to create other activities such as history walks and nature walks is quite high; “It is an area with a rich cultural and natural heritage, elements of which could be further mined. Part of The Marina began its life as a dock for shops called the Navigation Wall in 1761. You also can view the enigmatic sixteenth century Dundanion Castle from the Marina and the gorgeous Blackrock Castle as well as reclamation projects such as the Atlantic Pond from the nineteenth century and railway projects such as the Cork Blackrock and Passage Railway Line. Add in elements such as the story of the rowing clubs and one gets a rich kaleidoscope of stories and memories”.
“In the last few weeks, I have had sustained correspondence by constituents in Ballintemple and Blackrock to move the project of pedestrianisation. There was a recent debate in the Council Chamber whereby the sentiment expressed by the Directorate of Recreation and Amenity is of support but to tie the pedestrianisation to the development of Marina Park. Knowing the timeline of Marina Park is one of a 5-10 year strategy, momentum could be lost with the Marina project. It is my intention to keep the pressure on officials to answer the calls in the short terms from constituents for part pedestrianisation on a Sunday, in line with the methodology developed during October’s Sunday closures”.
For more up to date news on Kieran’s ongoing work and lobbying, check out his new Facebook page, Cllr Kieran McCarthy.
Can I thank the CE, the Finance Officer John Hallahan and Cllr Martin, the chair of the Finance Functional Committee for their work on this draft annual budget book.
History is being made this evening as this marks the last budget of over 60 years of the city in its current size. But within the word history are the words Hi Story. And the realities of our future story are mapped out in this document this evening.
At the 2020 budget meeting next November 2019 the members of the Council will budget for 210,000 people and a city five times more in size with more challenges and more calls for funding. This City is ready to take on the challenge of an expanded city. I firmly believe our directors of the various service directorates are ready for the transition and added work. I might clash with them at times and call for more from them on certain elements, but I always respect their frankness and honesty on what can and can’t be done whilst outlining their pride of their staff and their vision of the future.
Reading through the various sections you can see the strengths of our directorates and the ongoing work programmes – the 30 per cent of our income spent on Housing with several hundred social housing constructs coming on stream in the next two years – 17 per cent on roads with several construction and enhancement projects ongoing.
I have been vocal that our staff at the housing desk everyday at reception, community wardens and homeless outreach team are collecting the voices of citizens and acting upon them for those who need support in the accommodation sector. I do believe that once the city expands that much work needs to be done on where we can build mixed housing projects.
On roads, I believe firmly that the city has seen nothing yet in terms of traffic problems as the economic bounce continues to reach citizens on the ground. I am content that we are on the right track regarding our mobility measures but I am going to take this opportunity this evening to re-iterate strongly my call for more parking incentives and marketing measures. It has also become clear that there has been a break down in communication between the small trader and the Council, where much work needs to be done to resolve it.
When you read through service divisions such as water services – you can see the extent of the drainage operation and maintenance, you can see read about the economic development programmes and the depth of the EU programmes we are part of.
I have been vocal that this city needs to be more aware of its southern capital position and being a European Regional Hub. So I am proud that members of staff have got stuck into a range of Interreg projects from start-ups to social innovation plus from a budget perspective the added funding the city can garner from EU urban funding projects.
In environmental services, a glance through the draft budget you can find out about waste planning, recycling measures, the great work of the Lifetime Lab Education Programme and Fire Department. I think sometimes we don’t always state that this is a budget not only about services but a budget for those who carry out tasks and who want their wish list answered.
In recreation and amenity, you can read about our tourism projects in Elizabeth Fort and Shandon, the myriad of festivals, arts projects, libraries projects, capital park projects. I have been vocal to get Tramore Valley Park open plus have a strong Urban Forestry programme. I am happy that we are edging more and more towards them.
And you can also read about agriculture, health & welfare and aspects such as our ongoing work on the expansion of the boundary.
Indeed, from this budget document you can see the range of work that Cork City Council does to make a living city – it is clearly outlined in this document this evening. It is a very difficult task to respond to the myriad and myriad of asks of customers and citizens. Those in the County suburbs worried about inclusion in the city can from this document see clearly that Cork City Council has a vision. We have the ambition. We have the work ethic. Ultimately, using our own wordage, We Are Cork. However, with that accolade comes much work and responsibility especially with the new canvass of satellite county areas entering Cork City next year.
Thursday, 18 October 2018, Cork: A Hundred Years Ago, a sit down talk with Kieran exploring pictures and postcards, in association with Cork Age Friendly City, Firkin Crane, Shandon, 11am (free, duration, 90 minutes)
Saturday 20 October 2018, Our Lady’s Hospital, historical walking tour with Kieran; learn about the former Victorian asylum; meet at the gates of Our Lady’s Hospital, Lee Road, 11am (free, duration: two hours)
Sunday 21 October 2018, The Marina and Blackrock, historical walking tour with Kieran, learn about the development of the Marina walk, meet at grotto on Blackrock Pier, 12.30pm (free, one hour, as part of the Marina Play Sunday and Urban October)
On Thursday, 19th July 2018, artist Tamsie Ringler Performed a iron pour During the IRON-R 2018 iron casting workshop in connection with Crawford College of Art and Design and the National Sculpture Factory in Cork, Ireland. The piece depicts the tributary system of county Cork’s river Lee.
This week’s Roads and Transportation Functional Committee meeting of Cork City Council coincided with very frank exchanges between councillors and Pairc Uí Chaoimh stadium manager Bob Ryan and Garda Sergeant James Daly. Independent Councillor Kieran McCarthy who were present presented the concerns of local residents;
“I have had numerous emails from constituents in Ballinlough who have asked for better traffic management. Many have asked me to convey that the recent Ed Sheeran concert traffic management plan needs to be the baseline of all traffic management at least. The current match traffic management plan is not sustainable in the long-run. The local roads cannot cope with the traffic. It is also very difficult to predict traffic movements from match to match. Random parking on greens and grass verges should not be allowed. Ticketing of cars needs to be consistently pursued and towaway needs to be in operation where residents are blocked into their house. I have had calls as well for consideration for a 3-4 km match parking exclusion zone around Pairc Uí Chaoimh. Certainly, the Garda contingent present needs to provide a few more members to push cars on, who are thinking of parking on pinch points before any match begins”.
In response to Cllr McCarthy’s intervention and committee members Stadium Manager Bob Ryan went through initiatives being rolled out to curb the recent traffic chaos from happening in the future. The stadium is working with local GAA grounds to provide parking spaces. Initiatives are ongoing to get more people on shuttle buses and get people walking from the city centre. The clubs of participating counties in stadium matches receive a press release outlining traffic measures in place before the game. There is a dedicated website, where information is posted seven days previously
Bob Ryan outlined that the Ed Sheeran traffic dynamics is difficult to re-emulate but the stadium management remains committed to changing the habits of drivers causing traffic problems. Mr Ryan noted that he is open to costing further shuttle buses to and from the stadium from other parts of the city. He also highlighted that the thousands of GAA supporters who have parked up in the city centre have been of huge benefit to local business. He also called for more ticketing of cars parked up illegally. In concluding with councillors, he noted that he remains open to ideas to try to resolve traffic issues. The Roads and Transportation Functional committee called for the stadium management to be present at future meetings to discuss ongoing traffic issues.
On next Saturday, 23 June, 12noon, Cllr Kieran McCarthy, in association with the Friends of St Finbarr’s Hospital, will give a public historical walking tour of the hospital grounds (meet at gate). The walk is free and takes place to support the summer bazaar of the Friends. Cllr McCarthy noted: “For a number of years now I have ran the walking tour of the workhouse story at St Finbarr’s Hospital. Of the twenty or more city and suburban walking tour sites I have developed the tour of the workhouse site has been popular. The tour though is eye-opening to the conditions that people endured in the nineteenth century but a very important one to tell. The dark local histories are as important to grapple with as the positive local histories. Cork city is blessed to have so much archival and newspaper material to really tell the story of the Cork workhouse. Out of this tour I have developed a walking tour as well around the old Our Lady’s Hospital, which I will run for National Heritage Week in August this year”.
Cllr McCarthy highlighted: “A present day blocked up archway on Douglas Road was the old entrance to the laneway that ran down from Douglas Road through market gardens to the workhouse complex. Between 1838 and 1845, 123 workhouses were built, which were part of a series of districts known as Poor Law Unions. The cost of poor relief was met by the payment of rates by owners of land and property in that district. In 1841 eight acres, one rood and 23 perches were leased to the Poor Law Guardians from Daniel B Foley, Evergreen House, Cork. Mr Foley retained an acre, on which was Evergreen House with its surrounding gardens, which fronted South Douglas Road (now a vacant concrete space). The subsequent workhouse that was built on the leased lands was opened in December 1841. It was an isolated place, built beyond the City’s toll house and toll gates. The Douglas Road workhouse was also one of the first of the workhouses to be designed by the Poor Law Commissioners’ architect George Wilkinson”.
Thanks to everyone who supported the ninth McCarthy’s Make a Model Boat Project 2018 adjacent The Lough, Cork; thanks to the lead partner Meitheal Mara and all at the Cork Harbour Festival.
Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy has welcomed progress on the opening of Tramore Valley Park. Given the increased amount of additional work necessary to satisfy Health and Safety requirements the opening is scheduled for early Autumn 2018. Information given to Cllr McCarthy at last week’s City Council meeting outlined that a works programme to address the essential works necessary prior to opening are presently underway: it includes additional carparking, realignment of the main access road from the South City Link, creation of internal roundabout and, segregation of the civic amenity activities from park activities. These works are essential in the context of satisfying Health and Safety requirements for a park and civic amenity site users. A Management Plan to manage, open and maintain the park is also being prepared at present.
Cllr McCarthy noted:” While the BMX track and a number of playing pitches in the park are used from time to time, access for the general public has been limited due to a number of staff shortages and operational issues. It will be great to see the park fully opened and become a key in the expansion of the city, ensuring that family, community and park life all remains at the heart of a bigger city centre. It will be the equal of the Ballincollig regional park in the city. Family and community life will be enhanced by the opening of this enormous resource”.
