Docklands of hope & glory

We have traditionally looked upon dockland areas as districts best hidden from sight. But our assumptions and expectations are changing. The complete transformation of the stretch of Dublin along the Liffey, on both sides of the river, from Butt Bridge down to the Point Theatre (soon to be the Point Village) is a case in instance: it is unrecognisable from the rundown, blighted look of 10 or 15 years ago.

For some time now, the Cork Docklands Directorate has been thinking along the same lines. The Cork Docklands area is located to the east of the city centre and, as director of services Pat Ledwidge, explains, covers more than 500 acres on both sides of the Lee, along about three miles of waterfront. It takes in Pairc uí Caoimh on the south side and the railway station on the opposite bank.
“That area in total now has about 400 residents and 2,000 jobs,” he says, “but our target is to accommodate 22,000 residents and about 27,000 jobs there, over what we expect to be a 20-year development project. Because the area is so close to the city centre it’ll use the existing infrastructure and facilities that the city centre already offers, which would be harder to achieve if we developed a completely fresh, unused site.”
The huge potential for growth in this part of Cork was pinpointed with the publication of the Cork Docklands Development Strategy in 2001. This outlined the desirability of a new urban quarter that would include high-quality design and encompass new residential, employment and leisure opportunities, all brought together in a high-density urban setting. With that vision in mind, the regeneration of the Docklands became a priority for Cork City Council – which has since been actively working towards achieving these goals, with the support of various bodies that have an interest in the docklands area. At this stage the project is actively up and running.
The planned development is not one that will be enjoyed by Cork residents alone: visitors to the city will also benefit hugely.
“The entrance to the city centre will be marked by impressive new buildings,” Ledwidge explains. “We are also developing a purpose-built indoor events centre that will have a capacity for 6,000 people, and a number of cultural facilities that will not only be of value to Cork residents, but will also attract people into the area.”
The Cork Docklands Directorate is conscious of the environmental issues that attach to such a major project, at a time when concern about the planet’s resources has reached fever pitch.
“We’re fully aware of the issues surrounding urban sustainability,” Ledwidge adds. “So we’re making this development as energy-efficient and as carbon-neutral as possible. We are going so far as to use geo-thermal energy to heat some of the buildings and other energy innovations. We want to keep the carbon footprint of the whole area as low as is practicable.”
Ledwidge points to the success of the annual Live At The Marquee event in Cork as the kind of thing which suggests that an area like the Docklands can thrive in the long run.
“It has underlined the need for the kind of facilities we’ll be putting into the development, so as to improve the infrastructure around that event,” he says. “We’ll put those facilities on a more permanent footing, including public transport, entertainment venues, restaurants and so on.”
The Cork Docklands development will particularly appeal to those who want to see a healthy arts, culture and music scene in Cork, while encouraging visitors to look upon the city, and the Docklands, with fresh eyes. It’s a visionary project that is sure to bring a fresh sense of excitement to a city that – the fall-out from the current economic turbulence notwithstanding – has never had it so good.

For further information go to www.corkdocklands.ie