Blackpool Village Regeneration

Ref: 3.86 'Libraries'

A new purpose built Library, in Blackpool, would be far more suitable and cost effective in the long term.  The existing library is in a leased building and was considered a temporary measure.  The bookmakers located under the library is less than ideal.  Developing the new Library in the centre of Blackpool Village will be beneficial to the Library Service and give the Village a much needed social and economic boost.

Ref: 3.56 Delivering Inclusive Communities

Best practice in Urban Design is the inclusion of essential services such as Libraries.  The modern Library Service provides access to much more than books.  Investment in Blackpool Library will copper fasten and support the good work and community engagement currently being carried out by Blackpool Library.

Ref: 3.58 & 3.59  Community Hubs & Adaptable Facilities

A new Library would be a flexible Community Hub.  Maximising use of space and sharing facilities. Providing study space, meeting and event space.  Locating it near the Community Centre will enhance community engagement.  Provide a space for local learning institutions, training centres and art and drama projects in the area. The Library would be a focal point for cultural projects and groups in the area.

Relocate the Library near the Blackpool Bridge - where Thomas Davis St., Great William O'Brien St and Watercourse Rd., meet.  This area has already been identified as an appropriate location in a report by the City Library and Cork Centre for Architectural Education.  The Retail Park is not the focal point of the Village. Blackpool Credit Union building is currently for sale and could be utilised and developed - meeting the City Development Plan and the City Library Strategy Objectives and maximising the use of space in a built up urban area.

Objective 3.1 (c) (f) Planning for Sustainable Neighbourhoods

To include a new Library in Blackpool is consistant with the principles of 'Sustainable Residential Development in Urban Areas' and in accordance with the aims to plan for communities. And consistant with 'Sustainable Place Framework' of the RSES, creating a healthy and attractive place to live. Respond, Tuath and the City Council have built much welcomed new homes in the community.  The Library Service is an essential part of any community's infrastructure and will service the new and existing population.

Objective 3.29 Libraries

Amend the wording - 'Delivery of upgraded/replacement facilities' in Blackpool to 'Identify and secure space for a new library in Blackpool Village'.

 

The River Bride, specifically the section that flows through Blackpool Village, has not been given due attention in the 2022-2028 Cork City Draft Development Plan - it should be recognised as a non-designated area of Natural Heritage Importance, worthy of protection from development that may impact negatively on its biodiverse nature.

Non-Designated Areas of Natural Heritage Importance

Objective 6.25

Cork City Council will seek to map the City's ecological networks and corridors of local biodiversity value outside of designated areas and to work with local stakeholders in supporting the effective management of features which are important for wild flora and fauna and habitats.

The casual observer will note that the River Bride in Blackpool Village is a busy wildlife corridor, with regular appearances by heron, dipper, mallard and grey wagtail, brown trout and occasionally kingfisher.

A number of surveys of the River Bride were conducted by Cork Nature Network between 2016 and 2017.  Their report 'The Otters of Blackpool' notes -

'The River Bride in Blackpool, Cork City was identified as an important location for Eurasian Otters (Lutra lutra) in White et al.(2003). Cork Nature Network conducted a Citizen Science Survey in 2016-2017 to assess the presence of otters over a decade later.  In 2018, this was followed up with an invertebrate survey of the River Bride which included observations of fish, birds and mammals. The results of these surveys confirm the presence of otters in the River Bride as recently as 2018.  As this is a busy urban area, this is evidence that otters are well adapted to exist in our city and are an important urban species for Cork city.  However, they are also at risk of disturbance from any habitat destruction and fragmentation in the local area.  The findings of this report suggest that the River Bride should be protected to ensure it is suitable habitat for Cork's otters'

Species present in the Bride River corridor (including bats and otters) are protected under EU law.

As a biodiverse nature corridor the River Bride is a valuable asset to the people of Blackpool Village, offering them the chance to experience nature in a urban area with very little green space and low tree cover.

Rivers, Waterways and Wetlands - Objective 6.6

a. To protect and maintain the integrity, and maximise the potential, of the natural heritage and biodiversity value of rivers, associated watercourses and wetlands in Cork City, and to

b. To promote an integrated approach to optimising opportunities associated with rivers, waterways and wetlands generate biodiversity, recreation, tourism and economic benefits

There has been extensive culverting (since the 19th century) of the River Bride between Blackpool Village and the River Lee, it flows underground for over a kilometre. Culverting of a river effectively sterilises the culverted section and contributes to flood risk. It prevents any future human interaction with the river and the biodiversity it contains.  There has also been extensive realignments of the Bride river course within the Cork City Boundary in recent years, with at least four major interventions in the period 1997-2007, with permission granted for a further diversion in 2009 (Ref: 0833476) on the former Sunbeam Site, the planning for this diversion has since lapsed.  These diversions and development on known flood plains along the Bride have all contributed to flood risk in Blackpool Village.

Under the heading Potential GBI Opportuities and existing interventions in Chapter 7 of the Cork City Green and Blue Infrastructure Study 2021 (Table 7.1 Pg 151), one of the opportunities listed to improve/enhance the water environment within Cork City is the 'opening of existing culverts and avoiding new culverts to restore natural stream and river courses'.

In Chapter 11 of the Draft Cork City Development Plan under Development Proposals in or Adjoining Watercourse Corridors (Pg 506 11.217), specific reference is made to NOT landfilling, diverting, culverting and realignment of river and stream corridors.

Development proposals in or adjoining watercourse corridors should:

1. Preserve the biodiversity value of the area subject to Ecological Assessment by a suitably qualified Ecologist.

2. Not involve landfilling, diverting, culverting or realignment of river and stream corridors.

3. Not have a negative effect on the distinctive character and appearance of the waterway corridor and the specific characteristics and landscape elements of the individual site and its context.

4. Protect and enhance wetland areas.

5. In new major development locations, preferably retain and protect existing riparian habitats while providing parks in waterside locations to maximise the potential linkages between landscape, natural heritage and recreational opportunity.

The Office of Public Works Blackpool Flood Relief scheme, seeks to culvert the entire stretch of the river Bride in Blackpool Village.  Cork City Council supports this scheme that directly conflicts with the Objectives set out in the existing (2015-2021) and draft Cork City development plan (2022-2028) in relation to watercourses.  Cork City Council should lead by example and embrace less environmentally destructive flood solutions for Blackpool, such as upstream storage - one of the four possible options deemed viable for Blackpool.

 

That the City Council in conjunction with the owner(s) and the local community develop, the now vacant site at, 12 Watercourse Road, Blackpool, Cork, into the BLACKPOOL PLACEMAKING CENTRE.

We believe that this unique and historic building, in the heart of our village, is ideal for the realisation of the STRATEGIC VISION outlined in the Draft Cork City Development Plan 2022-2028 where the key strategic principles of : Compact Growth, A city of neighborhoods and communities, Sustainable and active travel, Enhanced built and natural heritage, A strong and diverse economy, A resilient City, A healthy, inclusive and diverse city, A connected city and A city of learning and culture is realised in this historic cork suburb.

What we are looking to achieve is:  The creation of up to 300 new jobs by:

Building a flourishing community.

Fostering a vibrant and diverse ecosystem of stakeholders

To facilitate the creation and maintenance of well-paid, year-round jobs.

Our operating principles for social and economic impact will be to:

Joining the dots, making connections

Creating aspirations

Lending visibility

Approaching evidence based

Evolving with participation and adaption

Co-creating solutions

Learning in the wisdom of the crowd

Layering international, national, regional, county, city all the way up and down to local the      community.

 

We believe that by developing this building into a multifunctional place that offers workspace with highspeed connectivity and co-working facilities to startup and established enterprises and community sector we truly believe that our goal will be achieved.

 

More than workspace as we:

Aim to foster opportunities

Collaborative projects

Improve core skills

Assist learning new skills

Help develop entrepreneurship

 

Support community projects so that it may transition to a low cardon society, working closely with the community, state agencies, public bodies and higher educational institutes to identify, fund and deliver these projects:

Creating a community that engages continuously in education, learning, upskilling

Supportive of innovation

Learning about future societal changes and using Test & Trial networks to explore solutions

Facilitate effective engagement with the community, public bodies and private companies       who wish to co-develop workable solutions

Encourage young and ability challenged individuals to believe they can live and work in their local community

Services to be provided in building:

Access to Fiber broadband

Pod cast studio

Dedicated telephone line

Hot Desks

Access to Blackpool area wi-fi and IoT testing platform

No overheads (lighting & heating included)

Secure Keycard Access to Hub – CCTV included

24/7 building access

Access to printing facilities

Access to mentoring and support services.

 

 

HISTORY HUB -HISTORICAL FOCAL POINT

Maurice F. Hurley in the Cork City Council’s own book published in 2006 “Old Blackpool - An Historic Cork Suburb” states that “For many people Blackpool is synonymous with Cork city but still remains a discrete entity within the city.....Over the years I spent working as an archaeologist in Cork, I have alternately been indifferent, impressed, intimidated, skeptical and exasperated by Blackpool.....I was exasperated because although everybody seemed to feel that Blackpool was the ‘heart’ of Cork it was impossible to define the heart or limits of the area..... I believe that an understanding of the origin and development of any area is essential to inform those who are obliged to make critical decisions.  For this reason, I think the absence of an integrated study of the origins and development of Blackpool has handicapped our decision making” (p. XV).

We believe that it is now time to create a space in Blackpool where the people can come and see, learn and be inspired by the history and development of Blackpool. We believe that the Hewitt building would be an ideal place for such a space. 

This space could be operated under the direction of the Cork City Museum as an off-site space and extension to their service.

It is envisioned that it would involve rotating exhibitions showcasing different aspects of the history, development and contribution Blackpool has made to the city and the region down through the years.

 

ECO HUB

We envision this dimension of the space to be developed along the model put forward by Green City Force of New York (see www.greencityforce.org)

Their vision is: “We are working towards a ‘green city’ rooted in social, economic and environmental justice.  We view young adults from frontline communities as the essential force for driving the emergence of sustainable resilient cities – by transforming their own lives, leading community transition, and promoting the values of a new regenerative and inclusive economy.

Eco Hubs align local green service for food, water and energy behavior change and neighborhood transformation strategically with local, city, county, national and global goals for climate and equality. Eco Hubs affirm the ‘people power’ often left out of visions of sustainability and systems change in cities.

 

MOBILITY HUB

Bicycle connections:

Bike Share

Bike Parking

Bicycling Support Facilities

Vehicle Connections:

Ride share/Pick up/Drop off

Electric Vehicle Infastructure

Bus Infrastructure:

Bus/ Light Rail Lay over

Information/Signage

Wayfinding

Real-Time information

WI-FI/Smartphone Connectivity

Support Services:

Ambassadors

Waiting Areas

Safety & Security

Sustainable approach

Active Uses:

Retail

Public Space

Pedestrian Connections:

 

HERITAGE, CULTURE AND ARTS HUB

We envision this as a Centre that will continue Creative Ireland Program that was initiated in 2017 by the Government.

It will continue to connect people, creativity and wellbeing to inspire, transform people, places and communities through creativity.  They focus will continue based events exploring issues of identity, community, culture, heritage and citizenship.

The Programme is built around key themes:  Creative Youth, Creative Communities, Creative Places, Creative Nation.

Greater details and publications can be found on their website www.creativeireland.gov.ie

 

CONTINUOUS EDUCATION & UPSKILLING HUB

We envision this as an offsite center that will be used by Skillnet Ireland and CETB to develop:

 Analysis of workforce design for the area, determining its future needs and identifying the      gaps that exist between what organisations and individuals need now and in the future.

People development activities to improve talent and enable workers to learn and to grow.

Strategic Innovation Trial & Error projects to be run out of center.

 

 

 

TOURISM HUB

We envision this as a center that will offer:

Network Tourism – Making Tourism Relevant to Daily Life in an Urban Context

Visitor Experience Center  - Route start – displaying information

Youth Tour Guides Station

Craft Retail Space

SME incubator

Tourism Strategy:    

Area Bicycle/Walking Tours

Blackpool Art Experience- native artists

Eco Tours

Cultural Tours – Drag Hunting, Road Bowling, Pigeon Racing

Historical Tours

Political Activity/Independence Tours

Souvenir Shop

Craft Stalls/Upcycling Stalls