Business leader left 'in disbelief' over Mayor John Moran's summer plan for Limerick
Vicki O’Toole writes open letter to Mayor John Moran and councillors to oppose blueprint
HIGH-PROFILE Limerick businesswoman Vicki O’Toole has written an open letter to express her “utter disbelief” at Mayor John Moran’s plans for summer in the city centre.
Among the initiatives planned for July and August in Limerick are a temporary urban beach at Steamboat Quay and pilot ‘superblocks’ to host street theatre and sporting showcases.
People supportive of the idea believe the measures could help make the city more vibrant and family-friendly, but there is opposition from some quarters, with concerns over traffic disruption and the impact on access.
Ms O’Toole, a former managing director of Ireland’s oldest packaging firm, JJ O’Toole, based in Raheen, has spoken out against these plans.
"Our local retail sector is already struggling to survive amid rising costs, online competition and shifting consumer habits. We are seeing major closures every week. Deliberately closing major thoroughfares such as Henry Street for the entire month of August, effectively cutting off a significant proportion of people from easy access to the city centre, does not attract shoppers into town,” she said.
Ms O’Toole, who now runs Tola Consultancy, in which she mentors young entrepreneurs, also warned that a ban on street parking will only serve to drive more customers to suburban retail parks, where they can park for free.
She said the reason many urban beaches in major European destinations work is that these cities are landlocked and away from major coastlines.
"We, on the other hand, are in a region where world-class beaches are barely an hour’s drive away in Clare and Kerry. Do residents of Limerick genuinely need a patch of imported sand on a grey quay to enjoy the seaside? And is the idea that people will bring their windbreakers, swimming togs and armbands to Steamboat Quay beach?” she asked.
Ms O’Toole, who has also won multiple awards for her business acumen, also questioned the environmental merits of importing what she described as “vast quantities of sand”.
"Where exactly is the sand coming from? Kilkee, perhaps – a place many Limerick people will be heading to anyway this summer to enjoy a real beach rather than a replica,” she added.
A board member at Limerick Racecourse, Ms O’Toole, suggested there might be more “creative and practical” ways to boost footfall in the city centre.
She pointed to the Ever After Garden in London, a seasonal remembrance installation featuring illuminated white roses.
Visitors can dedicate a rose in memory of a loved one with donations supporting charity.
She said this attraction drew huge numbers of visitors, without closing roads, removing parking or disrupting local businesses.
“It showed that imaginative initiatives can attract people to a city while enhancing access rather than restricting it,” Ms O’Toole added.
“Surely, this is the kind of thinking we should pursue in Limerick.”
Earlier this month, the Irish Business Against Litter survey placed Limerick rock bottom in its twice-yearly anti-litter league.
Off the back of this, she urged Mayor John Moran and councillors to take a walk through the city centre and suburbs, as she did last week.
"Overall, the city appears tired, neglected and overrun with weeds. Rather than adopting superficial trends from inland Europe, public funds should surely prioritise core issues such as street cleanliness, improved security and meaningful support for independent traders who pay rates and keep the city centre alive. Efforts should also focus on attracting indigenous retailers and eateries back into the city,” added the businesswoman.
She warned “the clock is ticking” with the Ryder Cup set to bring visitors from across the world to Limerick in just over 12 months from now.
"Surely, it is blindingly obvious that we should focus on getting our city into pristine shape now, encouraging businesses to open and invest and showcasing Limerick at its very best, rather than creating further obstacles for those already struggling to survive?”
She urged the council’s leadership to “stop playing in the sandbox” and “listen to local businesses and residents”.
Neither Limerick City and County Council nor the office of the mayor had returned a request for comment from the Leader as this edition went to press.
Ms O’Toole’s full letter:
Dear Editor,
I felt compelled to write this letter to express my utter disbelief at the decision to once again waste public funds on a temporary "urban beach" at Steamboat Quay.
The decision to recreate this project is deeply concerning, given the widespread criticism, business disruption, and the €125,000 cost to taxpayers of the 2024 Crescent installation. The only residents who seemed genuinely thrilled by the giant litter box left in the city centre two years ago were the local feline fraternity. Repeating this exercise under the guise of "tactical urbanism" shows a complete disconnect from reality.
Our local retail sector is already struggling to survive amid rising costs, online competition and shifting consumer habits. We are seeing major closures every week. Deliberately closing major thoroughfares such as Henry Street for the entire month of August, effectively cutting off a significant proportion of people from easy access to the city centre, does not attract shoppers into town. Furthermore, a 24/7 ban on street parking along these routes will only drive even more customers towards suburban retail parks, where access is easy, and parking is free.
The justification for these projects is that they work well in major European cities. However, it seems to have been overlooked that many of these cities successfully pull off "urban beaches" as they are landlocked and hundreds of miles from the coast. We, on the other hand, are in a region where real, world-class beaches are barely an hour's drive away in Clare and Kerry. Do residents of Limerick genuinely need a patch of imported sand on a grey quay to enjoy the seaside? And is the idea that people bring their windbreakers, swimming togs, and armbands to Steamboat Quay Beach?!
Furthermore, importing vast quantities of sand is environmentally contradictory. What is the carbon footprint of this exercise? Where exactly is the sand coming from? Kilkee, perhaps—a place many Limerick people will be heading to anyway this summer to enjoy a real beach rather than a replica?
I previously managed Ireland's oldest packaging company, based in Limerick. When force majeure events such as wars, recessions and COVID-19 severely affected us, we were dealing with circumstances entirely beyond our control. We had no choice but to adapt, innovate and fight for survival. But there is a difference between overcoming unavoidable challenges and creating new ones. While those charged with improving Limerick undoubtedly face genuine issues, they are actively introducing unnecessary obstacles for the very businesses they are supposed to support.
Limerick is built on the majestic banks of the River Shannon, not on a beach. Surely there are more creative and practical ways to boost footfall than trying to bring the seaside to our riverside? Last year in London, I visited the 'Ever After Garden', a family-friendly attraction that drew large numbers of visitors without closing roads, removing parking or disrupting local businesses. It showed that imaginative initiatives can attract people to a city while enhancing access rather than restricting it. Surely that is the kind of thinking we should pursue in Limerick.
Against this backdrop, IBAL has recently ranked Limerick among Ireland’s most littered urban areas. I suggest the Mayor and Councillors take a walk through the city and its suburbs, as I did last week. Overall, the city appears tired, neglected, and overrun with weeds. Rather than adopting superficial trends from inland Europe, public funds should surely prioritise core issues such as street cleanliness, improved security, and meaningful support for independent traders who pay rates and keep the city centre alive. Efforts should also focus on attracting indigenous retailers and eateries back into the city.
The same misplaced priorities are evident in the proposal for a very costly canopy on Cruises Street. It is difficult to see how such an intervention can meaningfully generate footfall without first addressing the street's underlying vitality. First, open the shops, then build the canopy.
Finally, the clock is ticking. Next year, the Ryder Cup comes to town, and the golfing world will be visiting and watching. If done properly, it could bring an influx of tourism and investment for years to come. Surely it is blindingly obvious that we should focus on getting our city into pristine shape now, encouraging businesses to open and invest, and showcasing Limerick at its very best, rather than creating further obstacles for those already struggling to survive?
It is time for leadership to stop playing in the sandbox and to listen to local businesses and residents before the July 2 council deadline for formal objections to the proposed road closures expires.
Yours faithfully,
Vicki O Toole