Multi-storey car park planned for Dyke Road
Building a new multi-storey car park is a central feature of the new vision for a modern cultural infrastructure to replace Black Box Theatre.
Galway City Council Chief Executive Brendan McGrath has confirmed for the first time that a car park over several levels will form part of proposals to overhaul the Dyke Road.
The existing Council car park is a cash-cow, with around 540 spaces. The new proposed multi-storey parking facility is likely to have the same, or possibly more spaces.
Local authority planners are in the middle of putting together a brief in relation to the Council-owned Black Box site, which encompasses the Dyke Road car park.
The project will soon go to tender and expressions of interest sought.
“The development will replace all existing car parking and do the other things we want to do on the site. It will involve a multi-storey car park as part of it. That will be part of the brief,” said Mr McGrath.
The City Council has committed to again speaking with local arts and cultural groups before finalising the brief.
This is to ensure the new infrastructure will met the needs of the city’s artistic community.
However, in broad terms the Council has agreed to knock the Black Box and replace it with modern, fit-for-purpose performance spaces. The new Black Box will also include a visual art space or gallery, and perhaps a dance studio.
The ongoing discussions with community groups will inform the final proposals, said Mr McGrath.
“We said to cultural groups we will go back and talk to them and see what they want. I don’t want to prejudge what will be in it. We want to see what their needs are rather than tell them what their needs are.
“I’d be confident we can deliver. It’s what I’m describing as an opportunity site, and there’s been an awful lot of interest, and I’d be confident that we can bring some positive proposal on it.”
Replacing Black Box is not directly part of the Galway’s City of Culture designation but it is included in a list of the cultural infrastructure the Council is hoping to deliver for 2020.
The Council has been awarded a €3.5 million grant under the designated urban grants scheme to deliver the project. In next Monday’s City Council Budget, City Councillors will be asked to rubberstamp loan repayments and borrowings to progress the plans.
Mr McGrath said: “That’s a creative, cultural piece of infrastructure. It’s likely there will be an exception allowed for us to borrow for that development, because it’s likely to involve private sector as well.”