Waterford city park will 'probably' open in 2 years
There are a limited number outdoor spaces in parts of Waterford City.
A 'pocket park' in Waterford City will not be open to the public for at least two years.
At a recent Council meeting, Independent Councillor Donal Barry asked about the progress of the development on Thomas Street.
Cllr Barry asked: "When are we expecting to see it opening to the public?"
He noted that 'half a million' had been spent on the development.
An Executive of the Council responded: "We were lucky to get advance funding for that particular work but it's strictly tied to the actual building site (Art House). The initial proposals actually came in too expensive so we had to send the architects back to re-design the building.
"We're looking at probably two years before the building will be ready at the earliest, in which case the operation of the park will be managed by the operator of the building in terms of opening and closing. It won't be opened to the public until that building is constructed."
Cllr Barry commented: "What was sold as a quick, stand-alone community project has become a drawn-out, ever-expanding scheme. The public paid for a park. What they are getting is delays, changing plans, and no clear timeline."
He said that the delay raises "serious concerns" about value for money, adding that "no clear figure has been provided for the additional funding required to complete the wider development".
