RESIDENTS OF DÚN Laoghaire can now start to imagine themselves floating in a specially-designed pool within the town’s harbour.
The Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company is, this morning, launching a public consultation on the development, which will also include two urban beaches.
Based on the Badeschiff project in Berlin, where bathers can swim in a floating pool within the river Spree, the so-called Masterplan was published two years ago. The first urban beach will be situated at Berth 1, adjacent to the East Pier.
The consultation being launched today aims to inform a planning application for the facility. The company behind the plan hope to submit the application later this year.
If approved, the pool and beach could be operational by 2015.
The Harbour Company says the project could attract 140,000 visitors per year, generating €1 million to the local economy every 12 months.
The pool, designed on a converted river barge, would contain heated and treated seawater. The barge would also house a second urban beach.
Changing and toilet facilities, a café, an administration area, and entrance and security features are also included in the plans.
The admission price to the area will probably be about the same as that of a cinema ticket, according to those behind the operation.
“It is intended that the new facility will act as a significant public amenity and tourist attraction, and will create a hub of activity within the Harbour,” said Operations Manager Tim Ryan.
“We are putting this project out to public consultation over the next four weeks so that all interested members of the public – including local residents and businesses, the sailing community, public representatives, and tourism organisations – can offer their views and recommendations on our proposals. The responses received from stakeholders will help inform the development of the project.”
The overall cost of the project is expected to be about €2.5 million but, once operational, it is envisaged that the facility will be self-financing.
(YouTube: rawarchitecture)
The consultation is open from now until Friday, 27 September. Submissions can be made by post to: Urban Beach Design Team, Dún Laoghaire Harbour Company, Harbour Lodge, Crofton Road, Dún Laoghaire, or by email to consultation@dlharbour.ie.
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