LIMERICK Boat Club president, Dermot Moloney, has appealed to city councillors to support plans for development work to proceed at their site off Sarsfield Bridge.
IT remains anyone’s guess what the outcome will be to next Monday’s rezoning vote, in relation to the development, designed to include a brand new Limerick Boat Club building.
Since the developer, Michael Daly, unveiled his initial drawings almost two years ago, there has been mixed reaction, including some strongly voiced opposition to the development on the grounds of it being incompatible with the surrounding riverscape, and others welcoming it as a project that will further enhance the local riverscape.
Strong support for the venture comes from the boat club, which was facing the possibility of having to demolish the building, such was its deterioration.
Mr Moloney insists the development would be good for the club, an asset to the city and a further step in the regeneration of the riverside city.
‘The proposed development for Wellesley Pier has been designed in conjunction with one of Limerick’s leading development companies Fordmount.
“Planning on the boat club project has been underway for the last two years and has produced a design that facilitates a new premises, but equally one that opens up the space to the public and stands as a landmark building to mark the gateway to our riverside city – the costs for this ambitious project will be approximately 20million euro and it will employ over 150 construction workers over its build period of eighteen months”.
Explaining that for the development to proceed, the council must vote favourably on the material contravention which, in effect, would rezone the pier head from open space to allow for the development, and that secondly, the existing buildings would have to be delisted to allow any development to progress, Mr Moloney said that if supported, the project will commence almost immediately.
“As a proud sporting city, the members of Limerick Boat Club have contributed greatly to the fabric of Limerick’s sporting life – founding Limerick Regatta in 1870, Limerick Golf Club in 1891 and Bohs Rugby Club in 1924.
“Club stalwarts Mr Tony Tynne, who next month will be entering his 51st year of consecutive membership of the boat club, observed that when the club was founded in 1870 its first president was the then Mayor, William Spillane. The present buildings on the site were erected not long after the club’s foundation – the clubhouse in 1885 and the boat house in 1873.”
Stressing the very bad condition of the buildings today, Mr Moloney said they could no longer function adequately for the demand of a modern sporting club.
“The buildings have been independently assessed and it was concluded that there is no material justification why the delisting cannot happen. There is a great willingness to see this project succeed and we hope it will get the support from the council to see it across the line on Monday night”.
