COUNCILLORS have expressed concerns over new plans for an
‘urban beach’ in Dun Laoghaire Harbour.
Gerry Dunne, the CEO of the Dun Laoghaire Harbour Company (DLHC), told councillors at the local authority’s monthly meeting that they had a new proposal that would involve the creation of an urban beach with heated swimming pools on a barge in the harbour.
He said the proposal would involve the council and the harbour company each investing some
?¬1.5 million into the project but noted that the finer details had yet to be worked out.
He also said the project could be delivered by the summer of 2013.
A spokesperson for an engineering firm that devised the new proposal on behalf of the DLHC told councillors that the Badeschiff concept would be largely based on an existing barge that is moored in Berlin.
The barge would have a heated swimming pool and an outdoor café type area where people could buy and enjoy snacks and non-alcoholic drinks. The urban beach proposal is part of a wider Dun Laoghaire Harbour Masterplan that was put on public display last year.
Cllr Patricia Stewart (FG) asked who would operate the urban beach and what the running costs of such a proposal would be.
Cllr Melisa Halpin (PBP) said she was concerned that the urban beach proposal would amount to the
“commercialisation
? of the harbour.
“Certainly we are in favour of swimming projects but really I would have a number of concerns about this one in particular,
? she said.
“I would fear that this would be a commercialisation of the pier.
“Why would we give
?¬1.5 million for this when we already have a commitment to a baths project that we are short of money for?
?
In response Mr Dunne said:
“We actually see this as being an extension of public access and public amenity value of the harbour. We don’t see it as a commercial project. I certainly wouldn’t see this as a commercially attractive project.
?
Following the meeting, the council issued a press release reiterating the fact that councillors had already approved a separate set of revised proposals for the redevelopment of the Dun Laoghaire Baths site at an estimated cost of
?¬2.5 million.
The council said these proposals would involve retaining the existing baths pavilion building and fully refurbishing it to accommodate studio space for artists, an art gallery, a café and public toilet facilities.
In 2008 the council put forward ambitious proposals for the redevelopment of the baths site at a cost of
?¬129 million. But councillors have since rejected those plans on the grounds they were grandiose and unaffordable.
Speaking to Southside People, Cllr Halpin said she believed the local authority was trying to promote the Badeschiff proposal and shelve the baths proposal at the same time.
“Why would we give the harbour company
?¬1.5 million when we don’t have enough money for our own baths?
? she asked.
“We don’t have a swimming pool in Ballyogan and yet we are going to hand
?¬1.5 million to the harbour company. It seems absolutely ludicrous.
?
No council spokesperson was available to comment at the time of going to press.