Once-off chance to give city a facelift

PAT BROSNAN'S article on Cork as City of Culture 2005 (Irish Examiner, June 18) highlighted, for me at least, two things: the necessity of much more money from the Government and business community for the occasion, and the importance of using most of that to clean and upgrade the entire city.

The soundings from the Cork City of Culture office, indicating that all the money will go to cultural events alone, worries me.

Of course, high-profile public events are needed but as Pat Brosnan's article makes clear this is a once-off opportunity to turn our city around in a short time, and unless the chance is taken we might have plenty of hangovers and happy publicans and hoteliers in 2005, but no real benefit for our would-be beautiful city.

I wonder if the people of Cork will readily forgive our politicians, business people and city hall if, after battling to win the race for City of Culture, they cannot ensure that Cork will be in pristine condition 18 months from now.

Jim Fitzpatrick,

Parklands,

Commons Road,

Cork.