Press release: Save our seafront

Over a hundred people packed into the St Philip and James Church Hall in Blackrock on 26 February for a public meeting organised by Save Our Seafront (SOS) to discuss the future of Blackrock Baths and other local public amenities.

The meetings passed a series of resolutions regarding the future of the baths and Blackrock Park.

The meeting voted overwhelmingly to oppose any plans for private or high-rise development on the baths site and called for the site to be developed only as public amenity to include a sports swimming amenity.

The meeting also called on the council to halt immediately the construction of a car park at the front of Blackrock Park and for full public consultation on the provision of car parking at another more suitable site near the park.

The meeting was called by SOS following the recent disclosure in the local media that Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council were in discussions with property developers Treasury Holdings about the future of the baths.

Treasury Holdings own Blackrock baths but Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown Co Council holds a long-term lease on the site.

Richard Boyd Barrett, Chairperson of SOS and one of the organisers of the meeting said: "This is one of the biggest public meetings to be held in Blackrock for a long-time. Residents from across all of areas of Blackrock sent a clear message to the council and all public representatives that privatised or high-rise exclusive development of the Baths site is simply not acceptable.

"People are very angry about the consistent failure of the council and public representatives to have real public consultation and participation when it comes to the planning and development in their area. And the fear is that, once again, the council and developers are plotting something for Blackrock Baths, which the public will be the last to hear about and will be purely profit driven.

"We held this meeting because we want the council to listen to the voice of the public before they try and impose some terrible plan like the plan for high-rise apartments they attempted to impose on the Dun Laoghaire baths site.

"Resident after resident spoke on the desperate need for public and youth amenities for the area and called on the council and politicians to restore Blackrock Baths as a public swimming amenity for local families, young people and visitors.

"SOS and local residents reject any claim by the council or politicians that we cannot afford a public amenity on this site. Blackrock Baths was for decades a state-of-the-art sports swimming amenity that was upgraded in the 1920s and 1940s when this country was much poorer than it is today. If they could afford to run and maintain a public swimming amenity at that time they can certainly afford it in the era of the Celtic Tiger.

The issue of the car park being built at the front of Blackrock Park is proof that the council still has not changed its way when it comes to developing our public amenities. There was no proper public consultation on the siting of this car park, which now threatens serious damage to one of the few remaining public spaces in the Blackrock area. The meeting made clear that residents don't have a problem with the provision of car-parking near the park but that it must be located in a place that does not damage the park as an amenity and that it should be built only following proper public consultation.

"Lets hope that our public representatives take on board what local residents are saying about these issues. The public wants a fully public swimming amenity at Blackrock Baths and the construction of the car park in Blackrock Baths should be halted immediately until there is proper public consultation on the issue."

For more information contact: Richard Boyd Barrett 087 6329511