Public works contract including Integrated Transportation Hub, Sustainable Transport Bridge & new access roads and bridges gets underway.
Waterford Fine Gael Senator John Cummins has described the ground-breaking ceremony for the regeneration of the city’s North Quays as a watershed day that will be looked back upon in years to come as the catalyst for everything that followed.Taoiseach Leo Varadkar joined Minister Darragh O’Brien and Minister Eamonn Ryan in Waterford this morning to officially kickstart the public infrastructure contract.
Senator Cummins who was Mayor of Waterford in 2016 when the site was designated as an SDZ by then Fine Gael Minister Paudie Coffey said “While it has taken us much longer to get to this point than anyone would have hoped for, with many bumps in the road, today is a very significant day which I believe we will look back upon with fondness in years to come and see it as one of the catalysts for the growth in our city that followed.”
Senator Cummins continued: “There have been many who have doubted that this day would come but the important milestones which have been hit and the government funding which was allocated at all of the various stages have always given me the confidence that this transformative project would be realised. Centring our public transportation system on the site, building new access roads and linking the Waterford and New Ross Greenways via a bridge at the Clock Tower will bring so many benefits for our city centre”.
Senator Cummins further added: “The allocation of €170.6 million by government has enabled this site to be unlocked and I am really looking forward to seeing HarcourtDevelopments detailed design for the private sector elements which are expected to include a hotel, office space, apartments, retail and food offerings. This project is one of the biggest votes of confidence in Waterford in living memory.
Senator John Cummins concluded: “Today is a momentousday for Waterford and the entire South-East region. I believe itmarks a very significant turning point in the history of Waterford. This investment will unlock the potential that we know exists with the North Quays site and when the project is delivered it will redefine Waterford city and help us compete on a level playing pitch with our peer cities. Today marks the official green light on one of the biggest regeneration projectsin regional Ireland and I am excited about the project and Waterford’s bright future”.