Agenda and minutes

Action            Agreed

Cllr. Freehill requested an outline of the plan for the 2018 Good Citizens Awards.

Action:            To be brought to the next SPC meeting.

City Parks Superintendent gave an overview of parks services and projects in the city which included:

·        The 5 Green Flag Awards

·        Greening of the City

·        Tree pruning

·        Renewing Playgrounds

·        Events in parks

·        Civic Decoration

He also briefed members on the Parks and Landscape Services Strategic Vision such as:

·        Dublin City Parks Strategy (not yet complete)

·        Dublin City Biodiversity Action Plan 2015 2020

·        Dublin City Invasive Species Action Plan 2016 2020

·        Dublin City Tree Strategy 2016 2020

·        Mountjoy Square Conservation Plan and Historic Landscape Study

·        Public Realm Masterplan for the City – there is a 5 year programme in place with 2 subsequent phases which will see the whole City Centre re-surfaced which will bring opportunities for greening with that – Parks services is a key partner in the Public Realm Plan

·        Dublin Bay Partnership – which is a UNESCO designation, a partnership with Fingal, DunLaoghaire/Rathdown, National Parks and Wildlife Services and Dublin Port Company

Management informed members of the ongoing Capital Projects in the city such as:

·        All weather pitches i.e. Birckfield Park, St. Anne’s Park in Kilbarrack and Belmayne which are due to open in the coming weeks.

·        A new Skatepark in Ballyfermot which is going to construction this year

·        The Discovery Centre in Dublin Bay, which is at feasibility stage and will be the largest project over the next couple of years.

Action:  Welcomed and Noted.

Bring the Dublin City Parks Strategy to SPC when complete.  Circulate most      recent draft to members.

The City Librarian informed the Committee that site investigations works are now coming to a conclusion and in parallel at the Dublin City Gallery The Hugh Lane another piece of architectural investigation work has being ongoing. This is an optimisation study which has been looking at the internal spaces of the Gallery and examining issues such as logistics, egress for delivery in conjunction with implications for the project and the potential for shared spaces such as lecture rooms education rooms etc. that piece of works has been concluded and will be taken into account in the final design.

Members requested an update on an elected representative sitting on the Board of the Parnell Square Foundation and also an update on funding for the project.

Management stated that at the next meeting of the Board, a proposal be put forward, that the Chairperson of this SPC should sit on that Board.

Management informed members that funding was still not finalised. A note has gone to the EU seeking guidance in terms of public procurement and whether or not it should apply in this case because of the innovative funding systems that have been put in place.

The City Arts Officer presented his report to the members.

Action:  Welcomed and Noted.

Cllr Freehill asked for an update on the George Bernard Shaw House.

Management stated that a number of site meetings have taken place.  Two issues that need to be examined in more detail before any final determinations are made are, the conditions of the lease relating to the ownership and operation of the house, and the condition of the house.  A team of professionals within the City Council are examining these issues to ascertain what could possibly be done and what is practical and allowable within the terms of the lease.

Action: Bring a set of recommendations and proposals to a future SPC

Management informed the Committee that 17 changes were made to the revised version of the policy document   The main thrust of the review has been to tighten up some of the language and to take account of some issues that have arisen over the years, i.e. practical things like how people apply and how decisions may be reached on the basis of applications made.  The most substantive change, which is now Section 18 of the document, deals with the erection of commemorative plaques.  Changes were introduced because, subsequent to the adoption of the policy, an official Commemorative Plaques Scheme was introduced.  The document was amended to take account of the new plaque scheme.  The other main addition was the section that deals with Appeals (Section 21).  There was no Appeals Section in the original document.  Appeals will be considered only where a claim is made, on the official form, that the Commemorative Naming Committee’s consideration of a proposal was procedurally unfair, unreasonable or inadequate. 

This revised policy document has been agreed by the Commemorative Naming Committee on 22^nd March 2017.

Following discussions, members agreed, that under section 11 of the policy document (Public Consultation)  be amended to clarify that “The Commemorative Naming Committee will seek comment on proposals for the naming of major infrastructure / monuments / statues via the Area Offices / Area Committees, and will engage public comment.”

Action: Amend Policy Document to reflect this amendment.  Put forward to the full  City Council for adoption.

Management presented the report to members.  Following discussions it was agreed to review the restructure of Sports Officers after one year.

Action:  Review this structure after one year.  Circulate to members a list of Sports Officers in their relevant areas.

Action:            Report Noted

Cllr McGrattan enquired if the total number of filming applications (64) could be compared to other times to show if there is an increase / decrease in applications.

Action: Bring report to next SPC

Cllr McGrattan enquired about the timeline for the play facilities for Mount Bernard Park

Action: Reply to Councillor directly

Action:  Agreed

Action:  Agreed

Action:  Agreed

Action:  Noted.

Action:  Noted

Cllr Micheál MacDonncha, Chairperson of the Commemorative Naming Committee  referred to the Minutes of the Arts and Cultural Advisory Group regarding the proposed memorial of Liam Mellows in Liam Mellows Park, Finglas.  He expressed the concerns of the Liam Mellows Committee regarding the possible delay in progressing this project until the Government Advisory Group for the Decade of Commemorations prepares a policy document on how the War of Independence and Civil War should be commemorated.

The Public Art Manager stated that the Arts and Cultural Advisory Group would like to work with the local groups and Committee to fulfil the best possible artwork.

Cllr MacDonncha suggested that the Committee make a presentation to the next SPC meeting.

Action:  Cllr. MacDonncha to meet with the Chairperson of the Arts and Cultural Advisory Group, Cllr. Aine Clancy, Ray Yeates, City Arts Officer and Ruairí O Cuív, Public Art Manager, to discuss the way forward for this project.

The Liam Mellows Memorial Committee to make a presentation to the next SPC

There was business under A.O.B.