Graffiti attack targets city area revamp
Vandals daubed walls in the St Luke’s area of Cork with huge slogans saying: Hands off St Luke’s.
The graffiti also featured a bitter personal attack on a senior city official.
It is understood the attacks, the largest of which is on a wall on York Hill, off Summerhill North, took place some time between last Saturday night and Sunday morning. Walls on St Luke’s Avenue were also targeted.
The attacks took place just days after details of the draft St Luke’s Local Area Plan (LAP) went on public display.
It includes a range of proposals to upgrade the historic area, including:
* The significant reorganisation of the traffic lanes approaching the hectic St Luke’s Cross junction.
* The reorganisation of parking areas around the local businesses.
* The placement of electrical cables underground.
* The re-pavement of footpaths and the creation of large pedestrian-friendly plazas outside the shops.
* The provision of a range of new lighting and street furniture.
However, concerns have been raised about plans to move one of Cork’s best known landmarks from its century-old home.
The historic “toll house”, located in the centre of St Luke’s Cross, is to be relocated onto a proposed plaza which will be built nearby.
The structure was built as one of the key exhibits for The Great Exhibition in 1902 and was moved to St Luke’s shortly afterwards.
Local Cllr Tim Brosnan (FF), who first raised concerns, last night described the graffiti attacks as “appalling”.
“This brings shame on St Luke’s,” he said. “This has been done by some crank who has a grudge against City Hall.
“This is loony fringe stuff, someone with a personal grudge creeping around in the dark.
“If the person or people who did this have any guts, they would come out and clean it up and apologise.”
He said he hoped a Garda CCTV camera located at the bottom of Summerhill North could help identify the culprit.
“There is a huge need to transform St Luke’s,” he said.
He urged anyone with an interest in the future of the area to attend a meeting in the Ambassador Hotel between 6.30pm and 8.30pm tonight at which details of the draft LAP will be outlined by city officials.
The public, and particularly local business owners, were again urged to get involved in the LAP process and to submit their own comments and proposals on the plan before it comes back before councillors for ratification.
The public has until December 14 to comment. A final plan will then be published and will be brought back before city council for approval.
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