Locals discuss future of Smurfit site

THE derelict site of what was once home to the
country’s biggest printing press, the Smurfit Print plant in Glasnevin, could
now become an allotment or a community garden if plans by locals get off the
ground.

Suggestions and proposals of what to do with the site
are being sought and a workshop will be held this week to gauge the opinion of
the local community.

The Smurfit factory, located on Botanic Road, had been
a hive of industry for 200 years and was the city’s oldest print operator.

Its demise and closure in 2001, with the loss of
almost 120 jobs, was one of the first signals of a downturn in the hi-tech
printing sector.

The business was a subsidiary of the Jefferson Smurfit
Group and mainly printed manuals for the computer industry. However, the
printing business suffered dramatically when PC owners and companies moved more
towards electronic documents.

But the derelict site could now be transformed from
another monument of the economic downturn into a rejuvenated natural space for
the community to enjoy.

The Garden Design workshop, which is being held on
March 13 in Hedigan’s Brian Boru pub on Prospect Road, is aimed at generating
ideas on how part of the old factory site can be transformed into a new
community garden.

According to local councillor Mary Fitzpatrick (FF),
the consultation on the future of the site is an initiative from the Iona
neighbourhood that she welcomes.

“It’s good to see the community being proactive
because the site is just dead space at the moment,

? she stated.

“It’s not making any positive contribution to the
area.

“Of course, the idea needs a lot more work and it will
obviously need to be agreed and permitted by the current owners of the land but
this discussion phase is a step in the right direction.

?

Iona Road resident Muireann Morris said that she and
other residents believe the site, which she described as an eyesore, could be
transformed into something positive for the area.

“Of course, this is purely aspirational at the moment
and we have no expectations of the site owners but it really doesn’t look like
the site will be redeveloped anytime soon so why not do something worthwhile
with it?

?