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Kilkenny is being 'left behind', manager warns
KILKENNY city must undergo some important changes or it will be left behind, the county manager has warned.
“Kilkenny is slowly falling behind in relation to investment. We have not attracted a significant foreign direct investment for a considerable amount of time,” county manager, Joe Crockett told Borough Council members at their meeting on Monday. “Kilkenny is a most beautiful place, but parts of it are not that beautiful; parts of it are not that good. ... We can’t stay as we are, because to stay as we are is to admit failure.”
Mr Crockett’s comments related to talks about the five-year Mobility Management Plan which is designed to give priority to pedestrians and cyclists, and move away from dependence on car travel. “Our objective is to improve the appearance and experience of the city,” Mr Crockett said. “We want to push the city for the next century.”
The plan has implications for tourism as well. “Filte Ireland has advised us that the key business demographic is the 46-plus age demographic from the point of view of tourism. If you are 46-plus and up to 55 or 60, you are starting not to be as firm on your feet as you would like to be, and the city has to be improved for people who are 46-plus,” Mr Crockett said.
John Street, in particular, “has the worst footpaths in the whole country. It is a disgrace,” he said, as the narrow footpaths are awkward for people pushing prams or even two people walking. “You would be worried that a truck is going to touch your shoulder, and that is unacceptable.”
John Street
In relation to John Street, the county manager said it was “about to be upgraded”, and not just in terms of one-way traffic. “It would make no sense to leave John Street out of that improvement programme.”
“With MacDonagh Junction in place, we have a major attraction at the end of John Street,” noted Mr Crockett, whose office is based on John Street in County Hall. The council also still has plans to move the main city library to the former Meubles building at No 76 John Street, where the council’s Arts Office has already established itself and added to the vibrancy of the area. Evans Home, with access to John Street, is also being redeveloped to house the new Butler Gallery, and architects were recently appointed to undertake the project.
Mr Crockett made the remarks in response to members who expressed concerns on behalf of John Street traders and residents regarding possible impacts that a one-way traffic system will have when its trial period begins on April 6. The trial system will see John Street become one-way from the junction with Michael Street towards Rose Inn Street.
“John Street has always been the poor relation in Kilkenny city,” said Cllr Marie Fitzpatrick (Lab). “I hope that at the end of six months we will be able to go back down to the John Street traders and discuss how we are going to move forward with this plan.”
“I have concerns in terms of the success or otherwise of this scheme, in particular given that many of the people who do business in the city might come in on the Callan Road. ... The distance at that point is a long way from John Street,” added Cllr David Fitzgerald (FG). “I would be concerned that they would become disconnected from the core of the High Street because the travel time from the Parade to John Street would be trebled or even quadrupled.”
Then again, current travel times can be a problem as well. Addressing a separate matter, for example, Cllr Joe Malone (FF) pointed out that on a recent occasion it took him 25 minutes to drive from the Gaol Road to the Castlecomer Road.
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Weather for Kilkenny
Saturday 04 February 2012
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Heavy rain
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