Limerick's old tourist office could be community wardens' base

MAYOR John Moran has suggested the former tourist office in Arthur’s Quay be used as a base for new community wardens he hopes to bring to Limerick.

The directly elected mayor is hoping to bring in community wardens to help with anti-social behaviour on the city centre’s streets.

They would have a direct line to designated gardai.

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Addressing a briefing on his latest funding allocations, Mayor Moran said €130,000 has been secured from the Department of Justice for this measure, and his office is also providing some funding.

Money has been secured to work on the former tourist office, which is out of use.

Some €100,000 is in place for more repair work to the landmark facility, alongside €250,000 and a further €25,000 to deliver a Welcome to Limerick office.

This will give visitors and locals in the city a one-stop shop in which to access information

Mayor Moran hopes it is this building which will be home to this office - and the community wardens.

Future plans for the Arthur’s Quay area gave an option of potentially demolishing the old tourist office.

The mayor does not think there is an appetite for this. with the council having held a major survey into what the public want to see in Arthur’s Quay.

“I think there is a desire now to keep it. I now feel more comfortable driving on,” he said.

“In so far as that allows us to start using the building again, I think that is the right place to put the new Welcome to Limerick office so it becomes a community initiative right in the city centre. It might be a location for community wardens. It could be a location for the people who patrol our rivers every evening. And it’s right beside the bus stops that are there. It allows it to stay open much longer hours than if you put a cafe in, for example,” he said.

Mayor Moran says on a trial basis, four or five community wardens could be used in the city centre.