Campaigners say ‘we need to be ambitious’ about potential lido for George’s Dock

The group presented their proposed plans for the George’s Dock Lido to Dublin City Councillors today.

The ideal for the all-weather lido was inspired by the now infamous proposed white water rafting centre at George’s Dock.

A group of campaigners, based in the Docklands proposed instead the conversion of the space at George’s Dock into a large, public, outdoor swimming facility, “for all Dubliners, accessible to all abilities”.

In July of last year the council announced plans for a public pool or “lido” and an emergency services training centre at the site, with 60 per cent of the space devoted to public pools and 40 per cent for a “swift water training facility” for Dublin Fire Brigade.

The campaign group is seeking to remove the training facility from the plans so the site can be a used entirely as a public lido.

A new lido for Dublin!
A pleasure to develop this concept with community group @GeorgesDockLido.#lido #dublin #outdoorswimming #ireland @future_lidos #futurelidos pic.twitter.com/thSBbrEUEf

— Studio Octopi (@StudioOctopi) November 30, 2022

In a presentation to local councillors this week, the group proposed an “Olympic-scale 50-metre all-season heated pool”, a smaller learning pool, diving boards, saunas, water gardens with public seating, performance areas, community function rooms, a restaurant, cafe, and viewing gallery.

Campaign spokesperson Patrick Earls said the lido should not include the emergency training facility, as it would be “trying to shoehorn too much into too little space”.

We feel it is trying to shoehorn too much into too little space to have the emergency service training centre there. It would hugely reduce the space available for public use and fails to grasp the importance of a once-off opportunity to contribute positively to the lives of Dubliners now and into the future, he said.

In a tweet after the meeting with Councillors, the campaign group wrote:

Fantastic opportunity presenting our George’s Dock Lido conceptual plans today. We really hope to work together with Cllrs and @DubCityCouncil to make a collaborative community centred swimming facility with green space. We need to be ambitious for Dublin.

Fantastic opportunity presenting our George’s Dock Lido conceptual plans today. We really hope to work together with Cllrs and @DubCityCouncil to make a collaborative community centred swimming facility with green space. We need to be ambitious for Dublin. https://t.co/MH5WvjesBb pic.twitter.com/JDv1H8EARq

— Dublin City Lido, George’s Dock (@GeorgesDockLido) January 10, 2023

While many councillors were enthusiastic about the proposal, Independent councillor Nial Ring said he was not ready to support the project.

I don’t think we’re pushing an open door here. The main failure on this is the absolute dearth of figures there’s absolutely no numbers how much this is going to cost, Nial said.

He added that he was “not sure (the lido) is what is needed down there”, and that conversations should be had with “the people who actually live down there” before the idea goes any further.

A petition in support of the proposed lido has garnered 4,286 signatures.

Header image via Twitter/StudioOctopi

READ NEXT: Sections of the M50 to face closures over the coming weeks