Thread: When the first slide @EngineerIreland webinar with Sharon O' Gara & Mairead Hunt @KildareCoCo is titled “Tactical Urbanism COVID – 19 Response” it’s a cause for cheer. When @kleyden7 @Giulia_Vallone are name-checked in the following slides it’s even better! @ccferrie 1/11

Ennis got a mention too @BetterEnnis Other slides quoted William H Whyte’s “The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces” “What attracts people most, it would appear is other people” & “People tend to sit most where there are places to sit” & @RIAIonline Town & Village toolkit 2/11

“The quality of the built environment directly impacts on the health and wellbeing of all people” The focus of the presentation was on Urban Realm improvements in Market Square, Kildare & Poplar Square, Naas 3/11

The purpose of the project was the “Reallocation of road space in favour of people and community-oriented spaces. Lots of takeaways for any town with URDF money to spend.” One piece of advice was to Ignore complaints re removal of parking. 4/11

Yes, there was opposition, but speakers said there is no going back, & vacant units are now being taken up because of extra footfall. Kildare has a multi-disciplinary team. They started with an architect, a planner & an engineer & now have a team of 6. who go after funding 5/11

& manage a project from inception to completion. The modus operandi in response to Covid 19 was “Build, Measure, Learn!” The team started with planning, by mapping the movement pattern of people & the usage pattern in car-parks @cyclistie .6/11

Gradually a temporary fix becomes a new normal. The team continue to gather data & feedback in preparation for making the schemes permanent. Photos of the tables & benches in full use in November & of 2 women chatting on a bench, each holding up an umbrella were telling. 7/11

Some seating belongs to the cafés but more is public & available to anyone. It is important to have a variety of seating. Parklets are on the way too but they won't belong to any particular business. Taking feedback from groups representing PWD on board, the tables will be 8/11

modified to leave space for wheelchairs & the white sensory dots changed to grey. Wheelchair parking has been provided in both squares. @AccessForAll7
@struggleiswheel have you had any feedback on how these are working out? 9/11

We submitted to @sligococo non-statutory consultation on Sligo's planned urban realm scheme. We hope it turns out to be as people-friendly as Kildare's They also have a Sustainable Mobility & Transport Team & given recent Government funding for Urban mobility planning in 10/11

several counties we hope similar teams are being assembled. We saw @NavanCycling at the webinar. Have you high hopes for Navan? @SligoPPN have you any feedback from PPN members in Kildare? @billclear45 are you happy? @Marie_Casserly @sineadmaguire any temp Sligo plans? END