Who ever thought we’d see the day?
The now infamous white water rafting proposal for George’s Dock, initially floated in January 2019 has been permanently placed on the watery shelf.
In its place, a public lido and emergency services training centre costing at least €25 million is being planned by Dublin City Council.
The white water rafting park was proposed with a goal to provide water sports and leisure facilities for the city – catering to activities such as kayaking, canoeing, river rafting and white-water rafting, as well as acting as a water-rescue training facility for Dublin Fire Brigade. The expected cost back in January ’19 was €12 million, which rose to €23 million by December of that year. When the council sought expressions of interest to build the scheme in January 2021, it had hit the €25 million mark.
The proposal was met with “significant hostility” according to Council chief executive Owen Keegan, who had championed the scheme – there was even an online petition to provide Dubliners with an outdoor swimming pool and green space instead, which obtained over 4,000 signatures.
Now, councillors have also asked that the site be considered for a public pool or lido of sorts featuring a 50-metre, five-lane lap pool, sauna and changing areas, and a multi use area with children’s pools, a “casual diving pool”, and family pools, according to the Irish Times. In winter, the space could be used as an ice rink, to host Christmas markets, concerts or sports events. The remainder of the space would be used as the rescue training facility, to be used year-round.
The new plans were presented to councillors representing the area in question on Tuesday of this week, with many noting the similarities to the original white water rafting proposal. According to the Times, Independent councillor Mannix Flynn said: “I believe this is a whitewater rafting by any other name, and I take my hat off to Owen Keegan.”
Derek Kelly, the manager of the council’s dockland’s office said that the proposed facility would not be adequately sized for white water rafting. The cost of entry would also be cheaper – €6 or €7 rather than the proposed €50 for a go on the rafts.
More as we have it.
READ NEXT: Eagle-eyed passenger spots a ‘Mystery Flight’ on Dublin Airport schedule
