future of dolphins barn community garden, city greenway

by Gorgias Mon Nov 14, 2005 17:43

Are you sure it's a very important meeting? I thought it was a very very important meeting.

by dunk Mon Nov 14, 2005 21:35

key themes of arising from the previous discussions:
- sense of place and identity
- cork street
- community life
- high quality new development
- links and connections
- young people
- health and social welfare
- community participation

"We (young people) are getting into trouble for standing on corners but there is nowhere else for us to go."

"work together to create new public spaces and parks."

"plant trees along cork street, make it a boulevard - a nice place to walk along"

"clean up the canal and make it attractive to walk along and live beside"

"clean up the canal adn create a linear park extending to east and west, with bridges and pedestrian walkways along both banks of the canal where possible"

tonight there was a Rialto Community Network meeting- a dry run attempt to get the different groups working in the area meeting each other, seeing what each others projects are about, a bigger one with more people is planned in the new year.
mentioned here in respect to community policing
http://debates.oireachtas.ie/DDebate.aspx?F=JUJ20050323.xml&Ex=All&Page=2
contact here
http://www.cmn.ie/cmnsitenew/cedis/particb.htm
and
http://www.dublin.ie/communityOrgDetails.asp?orgID=2401&locID=1
email rialtonet@connect.ie
564 South Circular Road, Rialto, Dublin 8

color coded map of DCC consensus plan

Dolphins barn community garden, and white heather industrial estate

by dunk Wed Nov 16, 2005 16:19

There were about 120 people at last nights meeting of the dolphins barn and surrounding area masterplan meeting which was held in the newly designed Donore Centre, next to the flats of Saint Theresa's gardens. A clear powerpoint presentation was made to the audience by the large UK based urban design team John Thompson and Partners, the thinking which led to masterplan was outlined and this had arisen from discussions that had happened in the "planning workshops" which happened with the community back in mid July. Issues were the Greening of Cork Street, improving the area around the canal, a new park which would be the cities 4th or 5th largest and 2 main urban zones; 1 being a new plaza and entrance to the Coombe and the other being at the Dolphins Barn crossroads. Basic perspective drawings were shown on how things would look, these included some high buildings of 6 to 8 floors. There was no mention of community gardens or the idea of using the canal as a greenway but people from both groups filled the UK team in on where things were at present. In the proposal the canal was earmarked with a new bridge and a mooring inlet over the canal where the community garden now stands, in the accompanying perspective there were south facing cafes looking onto the canal with no sign of it being a bikeway. When asked about this and why the Cafe and apartment type development stopped where it did, the answer was to do with the existing family owned allotments.
All in all though, it seems to be a well planned proposal, the stages of development were outlined and its up to the council now whether they will take the proposed plan on. It is great to see a more inclussive and 2 way discussion process happening in places where its badly needed, previous plans for the Baily Gibson site were rejected due to pressure on the council from the locals for a more thoughtful and inclusive masterplan for the area - its seems thats exactly what they have got. The main question for some people though will be, will there be room in the future plans for local community gardens.

by open space Wed Nov 16, 2005 17:17

Do you know if the proposed park will be an open public one or another "public" park that closes at night like nearly every other one in the city?

by Terry Wed Nov 16, 2005 17:27

Hmm, south facing Cafes, some new high buildings, no mention of greenway... mooring inlet over the canal where community gardens are.... apartments...

Dunk, this sounds like the plan will benefit capitalists. It does nothing for your plans. How did the 120 people react? Was this agreed and or were people duped?

There's plenty of examples of governments and councils setting up 2 way communcations and then completely ignoring what they people said or wanted. Is this another case of this?

Now I don't know much about the plans etc, but your last sentence is worrying:
>The main question for some people though will be, will there be room in the future plans for local community gardens.

The answer is probably NO, as they will make sure to build/pave over anything that might become a community garden, greenway or park.

Why comprise on this? Surely this was pretty central was it not, along with the greenway? Should the plans not be rejected?

by dunk Wed Nov 16, 2005 17:41

i didnt know about the july gatherings, maybe others from the garden crew did, i only found out about this one on sunday from a friend who works in the donore centre

i have been trying to plough on with the greenway plan but am not getting very far, but with the creation of the rialto network and these plans underway for the future of dolphins barn i hope that more people will take these sustainable issues onboard.

like many of these things increasing the communication between the different groups matters hugely

the park looked like 2 main football pitches with seating and walking area around, trinity green patch was shown, along with play zones- a plan for a series of smaller green pockets was looked at

the canal is massivly underused, it could be the real highlight of dublin city

by anon Thu Nov 17, 2005 22:27

I inquired and a knowledgeable? man relayed that...

There is a plan in place by Waterways Ireland (the body responsible for the canals), in conjunction with the local councils, to layout and maintain an uninterrupted pathway (usually along the former towpath) from Dublin to the Shannon and beyond where applicable. Some of these improvements have already been carried out. A linear parkway, then, is the policy in place for the canals. So it would seem that the future of high-quality public access on at least one side of the canals is assured (but progress is painfully slow, i'll admit).
eg.
http://dublin.iwai.ie/
http://www.waterwaysireland.org/
http://www.royalcanal.org/

------------------------------------------------

Although one worries that the canals will be gentrified moreso then opened up.

by dunk Fri Nov 18, 2005 15:36

theres also
Inland Waterways Association of Ireland (IWAI), a voluntary body of waterways enthusiasts, founded in 1954.
http://www.iwai.ie/

we talked with them about putting a waterdock in place on garden site and doing a canal clean up, they successfully got a fishing spot and a canoe zone in ballyfermot, from what ive been told, and it resulted in the local kids taking ownership of "their" canal- previously when boats came through they got stoned, now they stop and kids explore the boats and it develops all round understanding. mick kinehan is the man we talked with.

i talked with waterways ireland and it was difficult to be told what their position was in realation to cycling along canal edge

by Local Woman Wed Apr 11, 2007 17:55

Hi all, this is the first time ive come accross this website but im glad i have. I live local to the teresas gardens area and all 'regeneration' will effect me and my family. On the night of the slide show presentation in november, i was there and although some of it looked ok i left with serious questions that have not yet been answered yet. Maybe someone else could shed some light?

Without waffling too much on you, i went and talked to John (england arcitect guy, who was nice enough) but he left me worried by his reply. Fundementally, i asked if the sport and play area for the local kids and youth was definatley part of the plans, giving that the popular area of 'wills's' as its known would be replaced, along with the two full size football pitches/green area its used as.

Altough there was talk of using the new community centre roof as area, access to this for ALL locals was not confirmed and infact, there was no certantity that any kids and youth friendly area was confirmed.

Does anyone have any new info on this subject?