A proposal for a pedestrian plaza in Limerick city centre has been drawn up by Limerick Chamber of Commerce.
The chamber president, Mr Tadhg Kearney, said: "All successful and attractive cities around Europe have a strong and distinctive city centre area - Limerick does not. This proposal shows how it can be done, and would make Limerick city one of the outstanding cities of its size in these islands".
The plaza concept, which has been outlined in sketches, envisages the pedestrianisation of O'Connell Street from Penneys Corner to the junction with Roches Street. Side streets proposed to be pedestrianised include Sarsfield Street and Bedford Row as far as Henry Street. William Street will be included up to the entrance to Cruises Street, and Thomas Street up to the junction with Catherine Street.
The chamber said the pedestrianisation of Cruises Street had been an enormous success. The city-centre plaza proposes a cobbled surface and the creation of boulevards with vehicle access only for earlymorning deliveries and emergency services. The proposals are designed to be integrated into a new traffic-flow system which would come on stream when the city by-pass roads are completed. The plaza plan includes a raised grassy area as well as fountains, shrubbery, information kiosks and band performance stands.
According to Mr Kearney, the benefits of the project would be "to finally give Limerick the image we want, rejuvenate the city centre as a centre of shopping and leisure, make Limerick an attractive tourist destination and confirm it as the region's capital."