#EastWall Matters – Spring 2022

AN ENVIRONMENTAL IMPROVEMENT PLAN FOR #EASTWALL?

The existing Dublin City Council Development Plan makes provision for the preparation of targeted Local Environment Improvement Plans for districts across the city. The aim of these plans is the improvement of the public realm and those parts of the urban neighbourhood which are for use by everyone, and includes streets, squares, parks, public buildings and accessible ground floor uses. I am determined to secure Council backing for such an East Wall Improvement Plan. A dedicated initiative like this for East Wall could include ideas like:

• The creation a new civic space along Church Road,
• Carrying out public realm improvements in keeping with the Dublin City Public Realm Strategy,
• Undertaking an audit of shopfronts with a view to encouraging appropriate development and enforcing unauthorised development,
• Completing an audit of all streets within the area in terms of potential for street trees, and carry out planting schemes accordingly,
• Examining the potential for creating play spaces within residential streets,
• Supporting the extension of the dublinbikes scheme throughout the area,
• Providing more secure cycle parking in the area.

This is not an exhaustive list but rather suggestions to gauge your feedback. If you believe a dedicated plan for East Wall makes sense and you would like to support this initiative, then email me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com. I’d also welcome any further thoughts, suggestions or ideas about what else that could be included in an East Wall Local Environmental Plan. I look forward to hearing from you.

#EASTWALL NEIGHBOURHOOD TRAFFIC SCHEME – PROGRESS TO REPORT

Dublin City Council first published details of a draft East Wall neighbourhood traffic scheme in February 2020. I have since then, circulated details of the proposals and sought your feedback on how best to tackle the rat running, illegal parking and dangerous speeding occurring across East Wall. This year, as #DublinCentral Area Committee Chairman, I worked to make progress on the initiative and recently, I convened a Special Meeting comprising Engineers, Officials and Councillors to secure agreement on how to best to implement an agreed scheme. I did secure approval for the following:

1. The preparation of a concept design for a Filtered Permeability Trial at the Abercorn Road, Church Street East enclave. The Church Street East / East Road junction is where the  . It was agreed that any Filtered Permeability measures at this location would be installed in tandem with Residential Permit Parking Schemes for Church Street East and Abercorn Road.
2. The planned ballot of residents for Pay & Display and Permit Parking along Church Street East and Abercorn Road be expedited.
3. Councillors are liaising with the Transportation Department regarding streets in East Wall where speeding is an issue and where traffic calming measures can be examined.
4. The Transportation Department is examining proposals for the construction of buildouts and the installation of uncontrolled pedestrian crossings. For example, the various junctions with West Road, both junctions of Crescent Gardens and Seaview Avenue, the junction of Caledon Road and St. Mary’s Road behind the church, the Church Road / Killane Road junction. The Transportation Department Engineers are also to examine what interventions can be undertaken for East Road. 
5. Any other locations where illegal parking or traffic management related problems are identified, the Transportation Department will examine in order to alleviate those issues.

I would welcome your feedback on the above as well as any other suggestions that you may have. Please email me your thoughts to RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

DUBLIN CITY COUNCIL PROPOSALS FOR #EASTWALLROAD CYCLE LANES

The City Council’s public consultation regarding plans for a two-way protected cycle lane be installed along East Wall Road remains open until May 24th next. Following a presentation of these plans to the #DublinCentral Area Committee, Councillors agreed for the consultation to be held and you to offer your view. The National Transport Authority has indicated that funding will be made available for the project, which will include:

• Re-allocation of one lane of inbound traffic on the Alfie Byrne Road  between Eastpoint Causeway and East Wall Road.
• Provision of a new two-way protected cycle lane on the eastern side of Alfie Byrne Road between Eastpoint Causeway and East Wall Road.
• Continuation of the new two-way protected cycle lanes along the northern side of East Wall Road as far as the junction with East Road.
• Modifications to the junction of Church Road and East Wall Road to accommodate the new two-way cycle lane.
• Modification of the junction of East Road and East Wall Road to accommodate a new two-way cycle lane including a new pedestrian crossing at the northern end of East Road and a new pedestrian/bicycle crossing on East Wall Road on the eastern side of this junction.
• Provision of two new island bus stops to accommodate the new N4 bus route that is scheduled to begin operating along Alfie Byrne Road and East Road from May 2022. One island bus stop will be installed on the Alfie Byrne Road to the north of the Eastpoint Causeway and the other will be located on the northern side of East Wall Road to the east of Church Road.
• A new School Zone treatment for St Joseph’s Primary School is also being included as part of the scheme. These measures will be consistent with those proposed nationally under the Safe Routes to School scheme and will include flashing school warning signage, coloured road surfacing and road markings to alert motorists to the presence of the school.

Make sure to have your say on the plans drawn up by the Transportation Department of Dublin City Council. Email your feedback to

traffic@dublincity.ie. Your local Councillors will consider a report on the submissions received at our July meeting of the #DublinCentral Area Committee meeting.

DUBLIN NORTH CENTRAL GARDA YOUTH AWARDS, 2022

Nominations are now open for the annual Dublin North Central Garda Youth Awards. The awards celebrate outstanding young people between 13 and 21 years of age and recognise the good work being done by young people throughout the communities of the North Inner City. Awards will be considered for nominated young people who by their presence make their communities a better place to live or who have overcome difficult circumstances, defied all the odds, and whose commitment deserves recognition. There will also be an award for groups of two or more young people whose combined efforts have contributed positively to their communities. All nominees and group members should be between 13 and 21 years of age on December 31st, 2021 and the Dublin North Central Garda Division covers Mountjoy, Fitzgibbon Street, Bridewell and Store Street Garda Stations. If there is a young person that you would like to nominate, please get in touch with me and I will email you a Nomination Form for you to complete and send through to the Garda Divisional Office in Store Street at DMR.NorthCentral.Community@garda.ie. The deadline for nominations to be made by is May 31st, 2022.

NEIC COMMUNITY GRANTS SCHEME 2022

It’s that time of year, the NEIC Community Grants Scheme 2022 is now live, and applications are being accepted. This year’s theme is ‘Family Activities’,  and will focus on providing financial assistance to residents, voluntary groups, and clubs across the community and voluntary sector who wish to support family activities. So please, get thinking, get creative, and get in touch with your ideas to make the NEIC a better place through the Community Grants Scheme. You can access the NEIC Community Grant 2022 Guidelines and a NEIC Community Grant 2022 Application Form online at https://www.neic.ie. Please do not forget that the closing date for receipt of completed applications is 5PM, TUESDAY 31st MAY 2022. Funding of €104,000 has been allocated towards this year’s Community Grants Scheme in the North-East Inner City. The objective of this year’s scheme is to support the services of voluntary/community/not-for-profit groups whose services benefit the communities of the North East Inner City. As ever, should you, your residents’ group or community organisation need help with the application process, please get in touch with me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

COMMUNITY SAFETY INNOVATION FUND – APPLICATIONS BEING ACCEPTED

Justice Minister, Helen McEntee T.D. recently announced the opening of the 2022 Community Safety Innovation Fund to new applications. This fund is drawn from the proceeds of crime seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau and the Gardai. The fund supports local projects that improve community safety. The Department of Justice has called for applications for projects, that reduce the risk of crime, reduce reoffending and divert vulnerable individuals away from criminal behaviour. Projects funded can also involve the improvement of public spaces or sporting and arts facilities. The Fund is open to bodies involved in community safety and will support them in addressing local needs and opportunities for innovation not provided for in other funds managed by Departments and agencies. The call for applications for the Fund runs until 8 June 2022 and grants will range from €20,000 to €150,000. For further information please go to https://www.justice.ie/en/JELR/Pages/CSI-Fund-2022, email CommunitySafetyInnovationFund@justice.ie or please contact me directly at RayMcAdam@gmail.com where I will be happy to assist you.

#GREENING NORTH-EAST INNER CITY – Project Update

A central feature of the Government’s North-East Inner City Initiative, adopted by the Fine Gael administrative in 2017 is the Greening Strategy, designed to develop and improve streetscapes and open spaces within the area for the benefit of the local community. Funding of more than €1m has been spent across the last two years to enable significant improvements take place along Dorset Street, in Summerhill and along Sean McDermott Street, for example. 2022 will see an additional €562,000 spent on funding local greening projects as well as completing other initiatives that could not be advanced last year. Details of this year’s project can be found at www.RayMcAdam.com. Separately, the Parks Department of Dublin City Council has been working alongside the Government’s NEIC Initiative to replicate the Dorset Street central median scheme along East Wall Road. Funding of approximately €150,000 has been set aside for this project. The proposal involves the removal of the existing hard surfacing and the introduction of a planting scheme of mature trees and herbaceous perennials to provide year-round colourful displays of plants, bulbs and linear hedging. The environmental services provided by this intervention will be substantial in both improving air quality by capturing air pollution and particulate matter, improving biodiversity, improving the visual aesthetics by creating a greener city and community, improve Sustainable urban drainage and community health. As Chair of the Dublin Central Area Committee, I will be liaising with officials to finalise the details of this initiative before circulating more information shortly.