Greystones Outdoor Civic Space
Further discussion on plans for an outdoor performance space for Greystones took place at the November meeting of Greystones Municipal District, when councillors raised several issues for the space earmarked for La Touche Road car park area, including management of the recreational facility, noise and access for members of the public who wish to use it for their own needs.
The origins of the plans go back to 2020 and the outdoor recreation scheme established by Wicklow County Council, and while €250,000 has been approved by the Council for Greystones, this is being matched by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media to bring the budget for the project to almost €500,000.
WCC Arts Officer Jenny Sherwin gave a presentation on the project to councillors, outlining the vision of architects Mola, who have come up with a design in principle, given surveys, including an archaeological survey, have yet to be carried out and the project needs to see its way through the planning process, which will include submissions from members of the public.
The architects, who have pedigree when it comes to planning in the context of public realm/heritage and community, looked at elements impacting the project, including its location beside the sea and the cover needed to mitigate bad weather, as well as what kind of references to draw on in terms of a raised platform – or possibly a a sunken area depending on what the surveys uncover.
Given the location is currently a car park, doing away with spaces altogether is another sticking point, and the facility will also likely need to include toilets.
One of the key aspects of the facility is to connect the main street with the promenade area, and the early design includes a canopy for shelter, see-through, and open at both ends.
Calling the proposal “exciting” and remarking she had “got positive feedback”, Councillor Lourda Scott thought it was a great idea to connect the main street with the seafront area. She wanted more details, and to know whether it would be suitable for art exhibitions, theatre, installations and for those who wish to use it for outdoor yoga, as there was a huge demand for that in the town. She also asked if spaces could be reserved for disabled parking.
Responding, Ms Sherwin said it would be hard to have both a car park and an outdoor recreation space, but five spaces could be held for disabled and/or electric vehicles. In terms of a flexible arrangement, if it is being used as a car park in the absence of events, “it would be hard to take back” but the architects could look at a raised platform to prevent caravans and camper vans using it.
