Galway City Council denies €250,000 parklet cost is “a wind up”

https://connachttribune.ie/galway-city-council-denies-e250000-parklet-cost-is-a-wind-up

Posted by DeadlyDelta

13 Comments

  1. It feels like Galway burns through public money. How much did that art cinema cost? 11 million? The City of Culture, Galway university spree, even the GAA.

  2. ApprehensiveBed6206 on

    Wasn’t this for Covid? They’d have been better off getting 20 picnic tables and bolting to spaces across the city.

  3. Jeepers that’s ugly. Cork has some which are at least restrained and inviting oases for a brief rest. This looks like it’d blare out Depeche Mode under your parked person.

  4. I say this as a proud Galwegian, but there is a clique in Galway (city) and you’re either in it, or you’re nobody. They are obsessed with the Arts Festival, and Galway being akin to a mediterranean-style old-world city; all efforts and every red cent is spent towards that aim. The square was redeveloped (aka buried under paving); shop street was cobbled (then uncobbled again); Flood street became the ‘Latin Quarter’ (because being Irish isn’t good enough, and god knows it’s not like a world famous brand like ‘the Claddagh’ wasn’t available), an art-house cinema was built (with no parking), etc. etc. etc. etc.

    Meantime, the city has been waiting on a bypass since at least 1995. There are not enough bridges over the Corrib, and the historic buildings are falling apart. The actual Claddagh is excluded and ignored, except for the bits you can see from the Spanish Arch. Eglington street may as well be in Narnia. All the actual cultural elements worth mentioning have moved out of the main centre thoroughfares – if Charlie Byrnes’ ever closes the City of Culture will have an Easons and a Dubray for bookshops. Historically significant shops – like Siopa Uí Mháille – are left to dwindle and close. There are not enough bins, hardly any public restrooms, and *zero* shelters with or without seating in what must be one of the wettest cities in the country. Busking has been reduced and reduced every year (but not the preachers or beggars). If you’re not there for the sights and the gastro-pubs, there’s little to see, nothing to do, and nowhere to sit. Except on what must be one of the most anti-social seats ever designed that cost a quarter of a million euros and were signed off on, I can pretty much garauntee you, purely on the strength of the name ‘parklet’ and the fact no-one can sleep on one.

  5. The one in Sligo cost €150k and was paid by a grant from central government if I remember correctly.

    Someone is making a fortune out of these overpriced parklets but I’m not sure who. They are being built by different local construction companies so I don’t think it is the builders.

  6. This Cheevers clown was responsible for the removal of brand new bollards separating a brand new cycle lane from a road in a suburb called Roscam. Said cycle lane is now full of parked cars all the time.

  7. And no one will ever be held accountable.
    There has to have been a kick back or a bit of nepotism involved or a consultancy position offered.