comcor
21-03-2007, 09:37
Stephen’s Green to be dug-up for new metro system
By Seán McCárthaigh
A QUARTER of Dublin’s iconic St Stephen’s Green will close to the public in 2009 to allow construction work on a new metro system for Dublin.
Under plans being drawn up by government agencies overseeing the project, access to the western side of the green between Grafton Street and Harcourt Street will be sealed off.
The plan also envisages that the section being used to build a large underground rail station will remain closed until at least 2013 with half of the existing lake being drained to make way for excavation work on the underground rail system.
The project will also require the removal of a large number of mature trees and shrubbery and the creation of a large vehicle entrance at the south-west corner of the green.
It is also likely that statues of the Irish patriot, Robert Emmet and Lord Ardilaun, better known as Sir Arthur Guinness — the former owner of St Stephen’s Green who gifted the park to the citizens of Dublin in the late 19th century — will have to be temporarily relocated.
Under the Government’s Transport 21 blueprint St Stephen’s Green will become one of Dublin’s main transport hubs as a junction for Luas and Metro services as well as the rail interconnector which will link the city’s main shopping area with Heuston Station and the new Spencer Dock station which opened earlier this week.
The excavation work will undoubtedly become a bone of contention for thousands of regular visitors who view the park as a quiet oasis in the heart of the city.
However, the main pedestrian entrance at the top of Grafton Street will remain open with the public still able to access the central area of the green via the small bridge which crosses the lake.
The Office of Public Works — which has responsibility for St Stephen’s Green — confirmed yesterday that it was in discussions with the Rail Procurement Agency and Irish Rail about closure of a section of the park to facilitate construction work on the new underground station.
“The OPW is open to the idea of allowing the green to be used for construction work on the provision that it is subject to a minimum of disruption,” said an OPW spokesperson.
However, the Irish Examiner understands that there are serious concerns that the RPA and Irish Rail want to use a controversial “cut and cover” method to build the underground station.
Informed sources said the OPW is likely to insist on the more expensive deep tunnelling method which would limit the surface area of the park which would have to be dug up.
By Seán McCárthaigh
A QUARTER of Dublin’s iconic St Stephen’s Green will close to the public in 2009 to allow construction work on a new metro system for Dublin.
Under plans being drawn up by government agencies overseeing the project, access to the western side of the green between Grafton Street and Harcourt Street will be sealed off.
The plan also envisages that the section being used to build a large underground rail station will remain closed until at least 2013 with half of the existing lake being drained to make way for excavation work on the underground rail system.
The project will also require the removal of a large number of mature trees and shrubbery and the creation of a large vehicle entrance at the south-west corner of the green.
It is also likely that statues of the Irish patriot, Robert Emmet and Lord Ardilaun, better known as Sir Arthur Guinness — the former owner of St Stephen’s Green who gifted the park to the citizens of Dublin in the late 19th century — will have to be temporarily relocated.
Under the Government’s Transport 21 blueprint St Stephen’s Green will become one of Dublin’s main transport hubs as a junction for Luas and Metro services as well as the rail interconnector which will link the city’s main shopping area with Heuston Station and the new Spencer Dock station which opened earlier this week.
The excavation work will undoubtedly become a bone of contention for thousands of regular visitors who view the park as a quiet oasis in the heart of the city.
However, the main pedestrian entrance at the top of Grafton Street will remain open with the public still able to access the central area of the green via the small bridge which crosses the lake.
The Office of Public Works — which has responsibility for St Stephen’s Green — confirmed yesterday that it was in discussions with the Rail Procurement Agency and Irish Rail about closure of a section of the park to facilitate construction work on the new underground station.
“The OPW is open to the idea of allowing the green to be used for construction work on the provision that it is subject to a minimum of disruption,” said an OPW spokesperson.
However, the Irish Examiner understands that there are serious concerns that the RPA and Irish Rail want to use a controversial “cut and cover” method to build the underground station.
Informed sources said the OPW is likely to insist on the more expensive deep tunnelling method which would limit the surface area of the park which would have to be dug up.