Unlock the Hidden Power of Private Projects: How Early Access Can Skyrocket Your Space and Profits!
Have you ever strolled through Barcelona, Seville, or Valencia during the summer and found yourself daydreaming, “Why can’t our city streets look like this?” Well, guess what — they can, and in some pockets, they already do. But here’s the kicker: those enviable public spaces don’t just spring up by magic; they’re fueled by the savvy involvement of private enterprise. Over the last year, Dublin’s city center has quietly undergone a transformation that’s head and shoulders above anything we’ve seen before — and it’s about time we gave credit where it’s due. From revamped canalside promenades to sun-soaked parks with art installations that’d make Patrick Kavanagh nod in approval, these aren’t just upgrades; they’re blueprints for a city where people actually want to linger — not just whip out their wallets. So, why is it that our local council, despite some good efforts, seems to be stuck playing catch-up? And more intriguingly, could public-private partnerships be the secret sauce to supercharge Dublin’s urban vibe? Let’s unpack how private enterprise is quietly reshaping the public realm and why the race for better spaces might just be a team effort after all. LEARN MORE
If any of you spent time in cities like Barcelona, Seville or Valencia over the summer you will likely have marvelled at the quality of their public spaces and wondered: why can’t we have these at home?
Well, we can and we do.
A small number of them at least. And they all have one thing in common — the involvement of private enterprise.
Across our capital’s city centre, several high-quality public realm projects have been completed over the last year that stand head and shoulders above what we have seen before in Dublin.
This is to be celebrated, as the city is in dire need of new places for people to gather.
After all, it should be a city where people want to spend time, not just money. The most impressive of these is the section of the Grand Canal between Leeson Street and Baggot Street which opened in August.
The facelift includes wider footpaths, new benches, waterfilling stations and attractive planting.
Nine of the original cast iron benches have been meticulously restored.
A new sculpture, Man on Trestle by Armagh born artist Carolyn Mulholland, has also been installed.
The upgrades are tasteful and of such high quality that they would make Patrick Kavanagh proud.
Shortly after walking past the poet’s famous statue you will find Wilton Park, which is privately owned but publicly accessible.
It now features deckchairs for lazing in the sun, a canopy to escape the rain, a dog park and a striking new abstract sculpture by Eilis O’Connell called Dipping the Other Wing.
The project was a public-private partnership between IPUT Real Estate and Waterways Ireland.
The most impressive public realm upgrades in recent years have come from the private sector.
The Bolands Mills development in Dublin’s docklands, which opened over the summer, is another example.
Its high-quality paving, planting and public seating have created a new mini-district.
And across the Liffey, Dublin Port’s Tolka Estuary Greenway delivered a new 2.2km cycling and pedestrian route with views across Dublin Bay.
These three projects should be used as a blueprint elsewhere in Dublin to upgrade our public spaces.
While Dublin City Council has been making upgrades across the capital, it has mostly struggled to get its landmark public realm projects over the line.
The original plans to turn College Green into a European-style plaza were first brought to planning in 2017.
The council now intends to seek approval for the latest version of the plans in the first half of next year, meaning it is unlikely to be built this decade.
On the northside, plans were unveiled in 2013 to turn the area around Parnell Square into a pedestrianised cultural quarter. In late September, the council launched the construction tendering process for the new Dublin City Library, the first phase of the project.
It is expected to open in 2030.
The council has recently pedestrianised Capel and Parliament streets, installing temporary schemes as an interim measure.
It will likely be another decade at least before permanent schemes are rolled out on these streets.
It begs the question: how long can a temporary scheme be in place before it is no longer considered temporary?
To be fair to the council, it has done some good work recently too, including the Francis Street upgrade and Bridgefoot Street Park, Diamond Park and Weaver Park.
The council has its hands full. But public-private partnerships could be the way to supercharge the much-needed upgrades to our capital.
The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) seems to think so. In September it presented ambitious plans to the council to redesign York Street, beside its campus, including a new pedestrian crossing, street furniture and greenery.
It also laid out plans to eventually pedestrianise the street.
Councillors were impressed with the plans, but some seemed annoyed that they hadn’t been included.
Mannix Flynn, the local councillor, asked: “Did you engage with me? You didn’t engage with me on any particular level.”
He said he would oppose the plan unless there was “proper democracy” including engagement with local councillors and businesses.
In pushing back on what would be an obvious upgrade to the street, partly funded by the RCSI, the council is shooting itself in the foot.
The mission to upgrade Dublin is too big for the council alone, and it should accept any help it gets.
Photo: Dipping the Other Wing by Eilis O’Connell in Dublin’s Wilton Park
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