Ambitious plans to divert road and develop 'front garden' for Limerick's waterfront

AMBITIOUS plans are in place to divert the road beside Arthur’s Quay Park to facilitate an uninterrupted link along the riverside.

Limerick City and County Council has secured €36.3m under the Urban Regeneration and Development Fund to progress a new public realm along the bridges and waterfront.

A share in this will go to putting in place a final design to redirect the existing R445 road left and alongside the park, which will split.

The funding was confirmed to members of the economic committee, and metropolitan district leader Cllr Sarah Kiely has described the move as “progressive,” adding it will be a “strategic piece in how we will change the city centre.”

“We need to turn back toward the river and stop having our back to the river,” she added.

The proposal will work hand-in-glove with the Limerick 2030 plan, a huge part of which is the demolition of the tax office at Sarsfield House with their staff moving to state-of-the-art premises in Project Opera.

Also taking place in that area is a major transformation of Arthur’s Quay Shopping Centre which could see the opening of a new grocery store branch.

On top of this, the redirection of the road away from its junction with Patrick Street is expected to allow for more pedestrianisation. ​

Once the wrecking ball has moved on Sarsfield House, the R445 would be realigned, proposals show, alongside Arthur’s Quay park, in a move which will see the boardwalks up to Harvey’s Quay extended and upgraded.

The compensation for any loss of green space in the riverside park would be the fact more of this would be provided in place of the tax office, with the hope to create a “front garden” for the city.

This will also link into the upgrade of the garden behind the Hunt Museum, which is well under way.

“When you get to Sarsfield Bridge, you stop really. The idea is all this will develop along to allow the walk continue by the potato market and in behind the council’s buildings. Let’s get that connectivity correct,” said a source familiar with the development.

The Three Bridges walk, which takes in the Thomond, Sarsfield and Shannon crossings has grown in popularity since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, with people restricted in where they can go due to lockdown.

Council declined to comment.