Grangegorman Matters – January 2023

GRANGEGORMAN – BUILDING WORK & PROJECTS UPDATE

As a member of the Grangegorman Consultative Forum, I thought it useful to share with you the latest update on works taking place across the Grangegorman campus. The information detailed below was shared with me at the most recent Community Liaison Committee, including:

• TU Dublin Academic Hub & Library

Works are progressing with the new build elements north and south of the Protected North House now both at first floor level and visible above the hoarding line. Concrete pours will continue to be the main focus over the coming months. On the Protected Structure, repointing works are continuing, new window installations are nearing completion and repair works have started on some of the internal brick walls.

• Dublin 7 Educate Together National School

Construction of the new school is now c.85% complete. Services connections are ongoing, including some works on Grangegorman Upper to facilitate new connections to the building. The GDA continues to engage with DCC on the planned new permanent works to the junction of Rathdown Road and Grangegorman Upper however these works will not happen in advance of the school’s completion in April. Interim measures will be put in place to allow for safer access to/from the school until the permanent works can be advanced. It is expected that this should be in place around the end of 2023. The interim measures will be presented to the CLC at the next meeting in February before being circulated to the residents of the Rathdown Road and Grangegorman Upper. All going well, the school plan to move into their new home before the end of the school year.

• Workday European HQ

Workday have appointed a Design Team and have commenced design development. The aim is to prepare for planning lodgement this summer. The new HQ is planned to be developed in the area between the East Quad and Broadstone. There will be ongoing engagement with the CLC as the plans progress.

• HSE Residential Care Neighbourhood

The GDA is working with the Design Team and the HSE to progress the project to planning stage. The intention is to lodge the planning application in the coming months.

• TU Dublin Indoor Sports Phase I

Tender evaluations are currently under way for Phase 1 of Indoor Sports for TU Dublin. It is anticipated that a Design Team will be appointed in February.

• Local Employment

Local employment is currently at 12% with two active construction projects on site.

If you have any specific questions or queries arising from the details outlined above, please get in touch with me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

BROADSTONE PLAZA

Public safety and the level of cleanliness along the Plaza continue to be issues that are raised with me by local residents. With regards public safety and ensuring there is a visible Garda presence tackling anti-social behaviour along the Plaza at the Luas Stop and at the Grangegorman Luas Stop, I have been repeatedly raising this with the Bridewell and highlighted the problem again in recent days at the local Policing Committee meeting. In terms of tackling litter, I can confirm that 5 new litter bins along Broadstone Plaza will be installed around the seating areas. Importantly, the Waste Management Section will service the area on a daily basis and it will also be swept and litter picked every day too.

WHAT’S HAPPENING WITH THE GRANGEGORMAN BRING CENTRE?

Since Christmas, local residents have been in touch with me expressing concern about rumours that the Bring Centre in Grangegorman is closing. As your local City Councillor, let me clarify the situation for you and what I am doing on your behalf and that of our local community about this issue.

The ownership of the existing site is due to return to TU Dublin, in order to allow works to the Clock Tower building and further developments proceed as part of the Grangegorman redevelopment. As is the City Council modus operandi, officials have left securing an alternative location for the Bring Centre to the last minute and as a result, rumours of the Bring Centre’s closure have spread.

Over the last three months, I have raised this issue at every opportunity open to me as Chair of the Dublin Central Area Committee, and just this week, I secured unanimous, cross-party support for the following motion:

“That this Area Committee seeks a commitment from the Waste Management Section that the Bring Centre in Grangegorman is not closed until a satisfactory alternative local site within Dublin 7 is secured and the existing facilities can be relocated there.”

On foot of this agreed motion, as Chair of the Dublin Central Committee, I wrote to the relevant Council officials reiterating the strength of feelings expressed at the Area Committee in support of my efforts and that Dublin City Council cannot for any length of time allow or permit the existing service provision for recycling of materials at the Grangegorman Bring Centre to be closed. Therefore, an alternative location must be secured and in place before the ownership of the existing site transfers to TU Dublin.

As your Stoneybatter City Councillor, I will continue to update you on this issue over the coming weeks and am happy to answer any questions or queries that you may have about this situation.

HANLON’S CORNER JUNCTION PROPOSALS – INFORMATION SESSION

Further to my previous updates, Dublin City Council, in partnership with the National Transport Authority has been working on how best to improve road, pedestrian and cyclist safety at Hanlon’s Corner. In my last update, I indicated that revised proposals would be subject of an online consultation and an information session would be organised in Stoneybatter for you to review these ideas and provide your feedback to the engineers involved. The proposals that the City Council is seeking your feedback on, include:

• Removal of the left turn slip lane from the North Circular Road (NCR) onto the Old Cabra Road. Left turning movements from NCR into Old Cabra Road will be retained.
• Installation of a protected cycle lanes on both sides of the road along the NCR western arm and along parts of the NCR eastern arm.
• Widening and protection of the cycle lane on Prussia Street approaching Hanlon’s Corner and introduction of a short section of southbound protected cycle lane on Prussia Street approaching Park shopping centre.
• Re-surfacing of the entire junction.

A detailed drawing of the proposed improvement works is available online at https://consultation.dublincity.ie/. The information session has been organised for Wednesday, January 25^th between 4pm and 7pm in the Holy Family Parish Centre on Prussia Street. The final date for you to provide written feedback on these proposals is February 1^st next. Please share a copy of your feedback with me by emailing me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

DO YOU KNOW ABOUT THE HSE’s WINTER VACCINES CAMPAIGN?

The HSE continues to urge people in Ireland and across the #NorthInnerCity to get their recommended winter vaccines for flu and COVID-19. This campaign brings flu and COVID-19 vaccines together for the people who need vaccines this winter – older people (this includes anyone aged 50+ who’s yet to get their COVID-19 booster, and people aged 65+ for their next COVID-19 booster and flu vaccine), healthcare workers, parents of children, people with long term conditions, and anyone who’s pregnant. Both flu and COVID-19 vaccines are now available from participating GPs and Pharmacies and can be given at the same time. More information is available at www.RayMcAdam.com.

DUBLIN COUNCIL’S EV CHARGING STRATEGY NOW ADOPTED

As your Stoneybatter City Councillor, I am regularly contacted by residents eager to move to an electric vehicle but are concerned about the availability of EC charging points. Throughout the course of the last year or two, I have repeatedly sought clarity as to the Council’s thinking on the delivery of on-street charging points as the transition to electric vehicles as set out in the Government’s Climate Action Plan advances. The Chief Executive has always stressed the need to consider a range of solutions to address current and future mobility demand, not only in the city, but also across the wider Dublin Metropolitan Area. Accordingly, the Dublin Local Authority Electric Vehicle Charging Strategy is now complete and can be viewed here – https://www.dublincity.ie/residential/transportation/electric-vehicle-charging-information. More information is available at www.RayMcAdam.com and to say that the City Council’s implementation plan will include the identification of Council and community facilities that may allow scope for facilitating the siting of EV charge points.