Water: 11DegC
Air: 6DegC
Tuesday 28 October 2008
Sunday 26 October 2008
Friday 17 October 2008
Welcome to Concrete Cliff or: Requiem to the Vico
Once Vicovers could walk down Hawks Cliff and feeling themselves as a part of the cliff on the borderline of the sea… nature pure. I liked so much walking on those old weatherbeaten rocks which now have been layered in concrete. Concrete all over the place. Platforms, steps over steps over steps (do we really need that many?), and even splashes of concrete on those rocks where apparently concrete is not meant to be.
And talking about steps: after 5 weeks intense work on the Vico, I still can’t see any attempts on repairing the most important things, the relevant things to swimmers safety. The steps into the sea are as rugged and unsafe as ever (only one single step on the left hand side stair leading into the sea has been repaired), the hut is still not waterproof (means in adverse weather conditions we’ll still be changing in a hut where water drips from the ceiling), and the path up the hill might be wider, but is now muddy, and apparently there are no plans to put concrete there (where it would be really useful though). No sign of railings yet either (hopefully the installation of these won’t mean the destruction of the few remaining rocks untouched by concrete!)
At first, I was so happy when I heard about the Vico refurbishment plans. I thought there would be some repair and safety works done, in an inobtrusive way, with respect to the place and nature. A help to the Vico not to fall apart, a contribution to swimmers safety.
But I am feeling really sad these days coming down to the Vico and seeing the works “progressing”. Unfortunately I only realised ”step by step” what was happening. Had I known the whole extent of this Vico refurbishment beforehand, I would have chained myself to the place to prevent it happening. Seriously.
I loved the Vico the way it was. With those works, the character of the Vico has irreversibly been changed, from nature to concrete. Welcome to Concrete Cliff.
And talking about steps: after 5 weeks intense work on the Vico, I still can’t see any attempts on repairing the most important things, the relevant things to swimmers safety. The steps into the sea are as rugged and unsafe as ever (only one single step on the left hand side stair leading into the sea has been repaired), the hut is still not waterproof (means in adverse weather conditions we’ll still be changing in a hut where water drips from the ceiling), and the path up the hill might be wider, but is now muddy, and apparently there are no plans to put concrete there (where it would be really useful though). No sign of railings yet either (hopefully the installation of these won’t mean the destruction of the few remaining rocks untouched by concrete!)
At first, I was so happy when I heard about the Vico refurbishment plans. I thought there would be some repair and safety works done, in an inobtrusive way, with respect to the place and nature. A help to the Vico not to fall apart, a contribution to swimmers safety.
But I am feeling really sad these days coming down to the Vico and seeing the works “progressing”. Unfortunately I only realised ”step by step” what was happening. Had I known the whole extent of this Vico refurbishment beforehand, I would have chained myself to the place to prevent it happening. Seriously.
I loved the Vico the way it was. With those works, the character of the Vico has irreversibly been changed, from nature to concrete. Welcome to Concrete Cliff.
Friday 3 October 2008
Signage eyesore
"Improvements" to the Vico Road entrance to White Rock. Those signs certainly enhance the view!
Complain to environ@dlrcoco.ie
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