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Displaying items by tag: Dragon's Den

#MARINE WILDLIFE - Young people from across Northern Ireland showcased their "green-minded" projects to a panel of judges at the 'Dragon's Den' style ECO-Den event at the Lough Neagh Discovery Centre last week.

All were hoping that their project would be the one chosen to attend the ECO-UNESCO Young Environmentalist Awards at the Mansion House in Dublin next month, as the Tyrone Times reports.

Among those pitching to the panel of experts were students from Holy Trinity College in Cookstown with their project, Fighting for the Environment, for which they teamed up with the Northern Ireland Marine Task Force Schools Project to help protect local marine life.

It's not the first time that the Northern Ireland Marine Task Force has joined forces with the North's young people, as last summer it supported hundreds of schoolchildren in their Stormon protest calling for new laws to protect Northern Ireland's coastal waters.

More recently, the task force brought together interests from across the spectrum to discuss the new Marine Bill and ensure it will "deliver for all sea users".

Published in Marine Wildlife

Dun Laoghaire Baths Renovation

Afloat has been reporting on the new plans for the publically owned Dun Laoghaire Baths site located at the back of the East Pier since 2011 when plans for its development first went on display by Dun Laoghaire Rathdown County Council. 

Foreshore consent was applied for in 2013.

Last used 30 years ago as the 'Rainbow Rapids' before falling into dereliction – the new site does not include a public pool.

The refurbished Dun Laoghaire Baths include the existing Baths Pavilion for use as artist workspaces, a gallery café and for the provision of public toilet facilities. 

Work finally got underway at Dún Laoghaire on the €9 million redevelopments of the old Dún Laoghaire Baths site in June 2018 under a contract with SIAC-Mantovani.

The works have removed dilapidated structures to the rear of the Pavilion to permit the creation of a new route and landscaping that will connect the walkway at Newtownsmith to both the East Pier and the Peoples Park. 

Original saltwater pools have been filled in and new enhanced facilities for swimming and greater access to the water’s edge by means of a short jetty have also been provided.

The works included the delivery of rock armour to protect the new buildings from storm damage especially during easterly gales. 

It hasn't all been plain sailing during the construction phase with plastic fibres used in construction washing into the sea in November 2018

Work continues on the project in Spring 2020 with the new pier structure clearly visible from the shoreline.

A plinth at the end of the pier will be used to mount a statue of Roger Casement, a former Sandycove resident and Irish nationalist.