BLACKROCK BATHS ARE to get a facelift, five days after Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council said they planned on demolishing the 140 year old structure.

Under plans being drawn up by a group of local artists and writers, the Soulburgers Streetwise project, who have brightened up derelict walls across Dublin City centre, will write a thought provoking message on the walls after one month of consultation with anyone interested in the site.

“We’ve whitewashed the flank walls and for six weeks we are going to allow graffiti artists claim the space,” Blackrock born poet Christina Reihill, who is spearheading the project along with the ‘Dulux Lets Colour’ initiative, told TheJournal.ie.

“In the meantime everyone can have their say on what will be done with the site on a new website. It’s a way of having a conversation for the times we live in rather than holding a town forum. In one month’s time, inspired by all these comments, however negative or positive they are, we will put up a thought provoking message on the walls for people to see when they are coming home on the DART.”

Reihill’s plan is routed in personal experience, after spending part of her life in the depths of drug and alcohol addiction.

“Just a line in a poem or something someone says to you in the shop could be the spark of hope people need. That message might just reach someone who needs to see it.”

The reaction from graffiti artists has so far been very positive, she says.

“They have left our notices that say this is a ‘Soulburgers recovery project’ but they’ve restored the council notices saying to stay out.”