August 3 - City needs to make use of key site

You were kind enough to publish my letter on this subject when the former Golden Vale Lansdowne Plant was originally closed some time ago.

As the site is now available for sale, I think the time is opportune to re-emphasise the importance of this site to the city, as it is in a prime riverside setting, one of the best sites available.

The site is zoned “City Centre” for development purposes and I believe it should be utilised for real city centre amenity purposes. I think the last thing it should be used for is industrial, commercial or residential building.

I am looking way beyond the current financial crisis when I emphasise that the site would be ideal for a major public enterprise, such as a concert hall or opera house, perhaps combined with a museum in the wonderful old stone building which should be retained. An industrial history museum related to all the famous old Limerick industries would be appropriate given the site was formerly the Cleeve’s factory and the Condensed Milk Company.

The piéce de resistance would be the possibility of linking the site across the river by a footbridge to the actual city centre, thereby helping to properly expand the city to the West.

Of course I realise that times are hard, but we must look beyond the present economic slump and be far-seeing with our future planning. I think that the new City & County Council should do everything in their power to secure this site, probably the best remaining riverside site in the city (and leave it there indefinitely if necessary).

Perhaps with great imagination and help from the private sector an arrangement could be made with the current owners to acquire the site for the future benefit of our great City.

Gerry McCormack

Ashbrook Gardens, Ennis Road, LIMERICK