Leading Cork visitor attraction to shut doors

The operators of one of Cork City’s top free visitor attractions will close its doors to the public for the last time today.

However, the Cork Civic Trust, which has managed the Cork Vision Centre at St Peter’s on North Main St on behalf of Cork City Council for 17 years, insisted last night it plans to reinvent the free exhibition space concept elsewhere, and soon.

“We expect to make an announcement on that before the end of October,” trust chair Michael Mulcahy said.

The council is now poised to take over the management of the building, and plans to use it as a key element of its 1916 commemorations.

The Cork Civic Trust confirmed last February that it would withdraw from the management of the facility before Christmas following a bitter row over its funding and future use. It followed almost a year of negotiations between City Hall and the trust. At the time, the trust claimed “roadblocks” and “obstacles” were placed in its way as it strove to re-imagine the centre — claims rejected by City Hall.

“It marks the end of an era really,” Mr Mulcahy said of today’s closure.

“I would like to thank the exhibitors, our three staff who between them have almost 35 years’ service, the community of North Main St for their support, and of course all those who visited the centre over the years.

“And I would also like to thank the city council for their tremendous support over last 18 or so years. It would not have been able to continue during that time without their support.

“The Cork Vision Centre regularly came out on top with the highest recorded number of any free visitor centre in the country. Its record speaks for itself.”