Colwyn Bay Waterfront Redevelopment

[Ian]

As for  government money being wasted, well I'm afraid it's the way of the world. health and safety gobbles up most of it

Not sure it's quite that simple...

[Yorkie]

So now it's a bad place because there is no reserved parking for locals only on hot days places,

I know the feeling, it's a struggle to oark in LLandudno today because if all the God Damn Holiday Makers.

You got it wrong Stewbow - I don't want a place reserved for me - I want to see a fair use for the locals and the tourists.  No point reserving spaces if there is no one to take them up.   It should be a case of first come first served with a publically funded amenity.

As for Llandudno. I never have trouble finding a place to park, except at Extravaganza time. 
 

[stewbow]

Talking about parking, I wonder how long it will be before CCBC realise that people are getting FREE parking there, remember those purple mountain bikes ridden by jobseekers from about 15 years ago, both bikes and riders are probabley still unemployed!!!!

[BMD]

The rebuild of the pier next door was probably condemned in 1933 and now we want £5 million to restore it??

Let's face it, it ain't going nowhere... 

It's strange that the few who claim to be impressed by Porth Eirias also seem to be against spending money on the pier. (The Daily Post was only able to find one person who liked Porth Eirias, and that person made the exact same argument as Stuart has regarding the pier).

The "modern architecture" argument is a red herring. Porth Eirias is bad design - not because it's "modern", but because it's severely compromised. Here's why: http://colwynbay.wordpress.com/2011/12/11/waterfront-project/

[Blongb]

I'm more p****d off about our roadside trees being mutilated each year.

I well recall the furore over the Pollarding of the trees on Brompton Avenue Stuart. All the uninformed thought they were ruined. Take a drive down there now and see how beautiful they are now. Unfortunately in a years time the Carbuncle on the Prom will still be a Carbuncle.     

[BMD]

Thought I'd post a brief update. Porth Eirias was closed yesterday morning when I visited. No sign of any progress on the cafe. A section of perspex-type material was missing from one of the blue 'lines' in the surface of one of the ramps (I'm not sure of the purpose of these blue lines. Merely decorative? Looks a bit of a mess). On the plus side, the vegetation is looking a lot healthier than when I last visited.

In the Carbuncle Cup competition, a couple of the most recent entries only received one or two nominations, and several commenters have written that they're actually OK buildings, not really carbuncles. This contrasts with Porth Eirias, which received several separate nominations (around 10 I've been told) and a generally very negative verdict in the comments section (including from architect-types).

[DaveR]

The last time I visited, I noticed that several sections of the 'blue lines' appeared to have warped upwards and were something of a trip hazard. I also noticed that many of the wooden 'fence panels' were warping and splitting too.

[Tosh]

 

From The Pioneer
Next phase of Colwyn Bay sea defences will be underway next month
THE next phase of ambitious work to Colwyn Bay’s sea defences get underway this month. Heavy machinery will be used to test the ground conditions along the seafront at Colwyn Bay, in preparation for the next part of the Waterfront

[Tosh]

Sorry, full aticle here.
It's going to be amazing, Mr Cossey says so, but then again they said that about the skip didn't they.
 

THE next phase of ambitious work to Colwyn Bay’s sea defences get underway this month.

Heavy machinery will be used to test the ground conditions along the seafront at Colwyn Bay, in preparation for the next part of the Waterfront Project which will see the promenade raised by one metre.

Large piling rigs will be used to dig boreholes on the beach and the promenade between Porth Eirias and the Victoria Pier, with trial pits also being dug with an excavator.

The work, which will start next week, will take two to three weeks to complete with work limited to weekdays between 8am and 6pm.

Cllr Mike Priestley, Cabinet Member for Environment, Roads and Facilities said: “These tests are an essential part of our preparation for the next stage of the Waterfront Project, but we appreciate that the work is being carried out during the holiday period so we’ll do all we can to minimise disruption.”

Cllr Brian Cossey, for Colwyn Ward, said: “I just hope people will be patient and see that the end result will be worth it. You only need to see how people have taken to the new beach to see how important this is.”

Designs are also being drafted for an improved link between the beach and the town centre and will go on display this autumn.

Cllr Cossey added regeneration work in Colwyn Bay was all the more important in the light of a recent report by the Centre for Social Justice (CSJ), highlighting economic deprivation in many seaside towns.

He added: “In time, it will be finished, and we’ll have an amazing promenade to be proud of.”
 

[Nemesis]

Now I can pass comment as I have actually been in the place. Inside,-One man at the desk, spoke to me, but returned to fiddle with his phone. Outside,-One man , looked like a traffic warden, on the car park where only trailers allowed.

The wood where the Bistro is to be, has it actually been reclaimed from a fire, or is this just an effect ?
The rest of the place just looks deserted, a machine for drinks and a fridge with ice cream in. Clean, but eerily empty
Outside it is scruffy and as Dave remarked the blue lines are lifting.
The loos were open and clean, I decided to visit purely for research purposes, no criticism there !
The only other thing which decidedly bothered me, was when I went to look over the wall to the beach, near the children's play area, the depth of the drop to the beach was very off putting. An adventurous child could be over there in seconds with disastrous consequences.

[Yorkie]

Called by again today, and as is usual, parking spaces reserved but more empty spaces than those being used.   Is this elephantine joke for the people of the area or some elite force that descends on the town once in a while?

Whoever is administering the place, probably the Harbour Meister, jack boots and all, needs a firm kick in the pants!   WWW WWW WWW

As do all the Councillors who allow it happen.   :rage:

[Merddin Emrys]

I'm surprised that there is any litter left on the beach when there is a HUGE SKIP so close!   WWW
How much does it cost to run this place and what income (if any) does it generate?

[Linda]

I'm surprised that there is any litter left on the beach when there is a HUGE SKIP so close!   WWW
How much does it cost to run this place and what income (if any) does it generate?

  So right there ME!  had a walk around earlier this evening ,now one side of the waterfront is closed off, only the step side was open
dont know why! There doesnt seem to be any way at the moment of generating income.
The beach is so popular though,why couldnt this work on these bore holes have been left until the end of the school hols. It doesnt make sense, when the kids are back at school in a couple of weeks.

[DaveR]

I honestly can't see that the building will ever cover its costs, let alone make a profit.

Oddly, that is the same argument that some people use who are in favour of the Porth Eirias building, but against the Pier being restored. It's a valid argument, certainly, but applies equally to both structures.

[BMD]

I honestly can't see that the building will ever cover its costs, let alone make a profit.

Oddly, that is the same argument that some people use who are in favour of the Porth Eirias building, but against the Pier being restored. It's a valid argument, certainly, but applies equally to both structures.

Exactly. There are some necessities - eg sea defenses, safety of pier structure (whether it's repaired or demolished), removal of litter, etc. All fairly costly, but necessary. And then there are the non-essentials, such as providing facilities for jet-skiers or putting an arts centre on the pier. You'd expect cost arguments for both of those to be consistent. But those who support Porth Eirias often conflate it with the sea defenses, as if the whole thing is a necessary cost.

Another thing is construction profits. New constructions tend to be far more profitable (for contractors & investors) than renovation work. This is one of the reasons why many people object to PFI schemes for hospitals etc - as you tend to get more "new builds" than perfectly feasible (and less costly) renovations of existing hospitals. It's why contruction firms and investors lobby hard for new buildings rather than renovations. They've even been known to lobby councils.