Cork's VQ plans green future for MacCurtain Street  

Cork’s Victorian Quarter business group is planning to create a new design guide on street furniture and urban greening that may transform the area around MacCurtain street for years to come.

The VQ is submitting a bid to Creative Ireland for a contract worth up to €130,000 that will be used to run a public consultation process, inviting the best entries and designers to revamp the streetscape around Cork’s ‘coolest neighbourhood’.

VQ Director Shane Clarke said the vision is to provide high quality environmentally sustainable street furniture that will match Cork City Council’s plans to regenerate the area. “It’s going to look amazing. The next thing we have to do is to put in some really good street furniture. We need to have the street outside, looking as good as the bars on the inside,” said Mr Clarke.

On Monday, the VQ applied to Creative Ireland’s Creative Climate Action Fund for a funding bid. If successful, there will be a public consultation and competition to find the best ideas based on local research, to fund the best three, and then pick a winner.

“Those guys would write a plan for the area, in terms of street furniture and urban greening, urban animation, for the next five to seven years,” said Mr Clarke. “It’s all dependent on the funding bid.” 

The vision is a world-class public realm which would be accessible for those with disabilities, the street furniture would abide by the highest standards, be “genuinely sustainable”, and compare to the best of Europe’s outdoor street dining. 

The plans would also entail greening walls and roofs, so MacCurtain street can be the “greenest urban neighbourhood” in Ireland, added Mr Clarke.