Agenda and minutes

Cllr. Vincent Jackson, was elected Chairperson of the Arts, Culture and Recreation SPC at the 3^rd July City Council meeting, to replace Cllr. Rebecca Moynihan.

Cllr. Vincent Jackson took the Chair and thanked Cllr. Rebecca Moynihan for her outstanding service to the SPC and wished her well in her future.

Cllr. Greg Kelly, sought clarification regarding a motion submitted by Fianna Fáil regarding street names in Irish.

Action:            Seek clarification for the next meeting.

Minutes of meeting held on 8^th May, 2017.

Action:  Agreed

Dr. O’Hare outlined the background to Exploration Station, which was established in the 1990s to promote the development, in collaboration with government, of a National Interactive Science Centre. It was born out of recognition that stimulating public interest in scientific matters was essential to Ireland’s future performance as an economy and society.

Exploration Station will be the first such science centre in the Republic of Ireland. It will target primarily children from 4 to 15, but also families, tourists and school groups, including teachers. It projects an average annual attendance in excess of 150,000.

Exploration Station is scheduled to open in late 2020 and will be housed in a well-located historic building, the north wing of the National Concert Hall on Earlsfort Terrace.

The government, through the Office of Public Works, will provide the exhibit-ready facility at an estimated total cost of some €29 million – (€12 million for the building, and €17 million for its refurbishment). Revenue funding will be provided through Government, Trading and private sources.

Action:  Members thanked Dr. O’Hare for his presentation and welcomed this extremely impressive and very exciting innovation. Questions were raised in relation to admission fees for children and ongoing funding into the future. Dr. O’ Hare confirmed that Dublin City Council had supported them in the past and revenue funding support may be required in the future.

Aaron Copeland is part of a team that are running a project called A Playful City. Their aim is to advocate for the right to play, putting children at the heart of designs that impact on their lives but also to raise awareness about the seriousness of play in Dublin and continue to grow the project year on year.

A Playful City involves 4 stages:  City-wide Consultations, International Conference, Design Hackathon and City-wide Interventions.

An international conference will take place on 17^th October 2017 in the Point Village, which will present an opportunity to consult with children and adults of all ages, discuss play in an international context and all together create simple and high impact interventions across the city.

Action:   Members stated that this seemed like a good initiative and suggested that instead of city wide interventions that A Playful City work with Dublin City Council on their initiatives, in terms of regeneration projects, strategic development zones and look at small interventions at the very early stages of design and development.

The Chair thanked Aaron and Nessa for their presentation and agreed that a report may be brought back to the SPC in 6 months if required. The Assistant Chief Executive confirmed that a number of officials were already supporting and working with a Playful City.

The recommendations of the Luke Kelly Working Group were endorsed by the members. Cllr. Clancy outlined the very intense process involved and the collaborative discussions the group had with all interested parties.

Action:  Report Noted. It was agreed that the Luke Kelly sculpture by Vera Klute should commence shortly.

A suitable location in the south city centre, be identified for the statue of Luke Kelly by artist John Coll.

The City Arts Officer explicitly stated that this arrangement was unique to the circumstances and would not create a precedent for any other proposed commemorative or public art proposal. Update to be brought to the next SPC.

A working group has been convened to look at the development of infrastructure for artist’s workspaces/studio.  They have met twice and looked at ways to increase the provision of artists working space in the city through re purposing of existing buildings in public ownership and studio provision in new developments.

The City Arts Officer has had discussions with the Planning and Economic SPC, who will examine the work of the Group to see what initiatives can be progressed and to look at opportunities for sustainable artists workspaces in new developments.

The City Arts Officer stated that there is potential for a Cultural Property Agency within the State, a not for profit agency that would negotiate with Local Authorities, developers, artists and the communities.

The Planning Department are considering having an information day in September to discuss how to approach cultural development in new developments. Members pointed out that areas outside the city may be more suitable or have more availability than city centre developments.

Action:     Report Noted. Work will continue on these proposals throughout the year and a report with concrete proposals will be brought to the November SPC meeting.

The Chair requested that Item 8 be taken at this stage due to a prior engagement of the Assistant Chief Executive.

Item 8: Verbal update on the New City Library at Parnell Square – Declan Wallace, Assistant Chief Executive

The Assistant Chief Executive informed the Committee that site investigations works have now been completed, the full design team have been reactivated and a planning application should be submitted within the next 9 months.

Cllr. Flynn requested that the Chair of this SPC should sit on the Board of the Parnell Square Foundation.

Action:    Management informed the members that at the next meeting of the Board he will inform them that the Chair of the SPC has rotated and members agreed that the new Chairperson, Cllr. Vincent Jackson sit on the Board.

Report on the implementation of the Cultural Strategy - Ray Yeates, City Arts Officer.

The City Arts Officer referred members to the management update where details of the implementation of the cultural strategy are outlined.

The Deputy City Librarian informed the Committee that the architectural and engineering investigation works have been completed.

The proposal to turn the house into accommodation for a writer in residence, with added potential of use for occasional readings/launches/receptions in connection with the writer in residence programme was considered to be feasible taking into account the condition of the building and the refurbishment works required.

The Deputy City Librarian advised he would work with other interested parties and to move the proposal along as quickly as possible.

Action:    Report noted. To be kept on as an Agenda item for regular updates.

Item 8 See above

Cllr. Freehill requested a report on Parks and Landscape Services policy on installing exercise equipment for older people.

Cllr. Lyons requested an update on the budget for maintenance of public artworks.

Cllr. Flynn requested a report on the development of the space in Merrion Square that was intended for the Legacy Project.

Action:    A report will be brought to the next SEA committee meeting on Merrion Square Park Legacy Project.

Cllr. Clancy requested the following information on Tolka Valley Pitch and Putt.

1.     Opening times

2.     When it is manned

3.     Signage to say it is open at certain times

4.     Solid information to the public to say it is open.

Action:   Parks to circulate information on Tolka Valley Pitch and Putt to members.

Action:  Agreed

Action:    Agreed

Action:  Agreed

Action:  Noted.

Action:   Noted

Action:  Noted

Action:  Noted.

A.O.B.

Cllr. Lyons asked if there was any feedback on the Historian in Residence talks. The Deputy City Librarian informed him that they were a great success and would bring an update to the next meeting.

Next meeting 11^th September, 2017

Cllr. Vincent Jackson

Chairperson