Happy Christmas to all our Readers!
We hope you like the Christmas Tree and the Street Lights. These have been put in place by the BBN with financial support from DLR County Council.
2020 has been a year like no other with Covid affecting everybody – residents and business alike. Businesses in particular have struggled, but one of the more encouraging features of these pandemic times is that many shoppers saw the need and the benefit of ‘shopping local‘. The street changes have also brought a lot more people into the village and this has been particularly beneficial for coffee shops and takeaways. Other store types such as bookshops have also been amongst the beneficiaries. Hopefully this ‘shop local’ fervour amongst residents will continue into 2021!
COVID-19 restrictions and Christmas
After all the restrictions and difficulties in 2020 it is heartening to know that a vaccine is on the way, and in double quick time. Even so, we will all have to be on our guard for some time yet which means that masks, hand hygiene and social distancing will be with us for the foreseeable future. However, the toll that the various restrictions and lockdowns have taken is well recognised so, from 18 December 2020 to 6 January 2021, some restrictions will be eased to allow people to visit their family for Christmas.
During this period, you can:
- Travel anywhere in Ireland
- Meet with people from up to 2 other households in your home or garden or in other places outdoors. Face coveringsshould be worn and social distancing maintained.
If you are in a nursing home or residential care facility, you should be able to receive an additional visit over the Christmas and New Year period where possible.
You can read about staying safe at Christmas on gov.ie.
Like before, diners will have one hour and 45 minutes to enjoy their meal, and businesses will close at 11.30pm. However, anyone seated more than two metres away from the nearest table is allowed to stay for longer.
A maximum of six people can be seated at one table. Hotels can also offer indoor dining, and will have the same rules as restaurants and food pubs.
Wet pubs
Taoiseach Micheál Martin in announcing the rules added that nothing in the research available to the Government supports any further reopening of non-food pubs.
Visits
From December 7, people in nursing homes or residential care facilities can have one visit from one person each week.
Blackrock Shopping Centre taking shape
Blackrock Shopping Centre is beginning to look really spectacular! We hope to have an update on the timeline for completion in our next Newsletter.
New development in the offing?
Irish house builder Lioncor has paid about €16 million for a prime residential holding immediately adjoining Blackrock College.
The site at Cross Avenue, Blackrock, comprising 1.21 hectares (three acres), includes two residential properties, Tower Green and Clareville with extensive frontage (158m) on to Cross Avenue, close to its junction with Mount Merrion Avenue.
Cross Avenue falls within an area zoned “objective A” in the Dún Laoghaire Rathdown Development Plan 2016-2022. The objective for this particular zoning is to “to protect and or improve residential amenity” and, guided by the objectives of the plan and current town planning policy, MOLA Architecture prepared a site capacity/feasibility study in advance of the site’s sale indicating its potential for a high-end residential development scheme. The site feasibility study examined the potential for two development options for the site – 121 units in build-to-sell (BTS) and 154 units in build-to-rent (BTR) layouts. Click here for full details.
Active School Travel Initiative
Council responds to Comments
Public engagement reports on Phase 1 of the proposed Safe Walking and Cycling Routes have been published on the DLR website. 6,431 representations were submitted as part of the process. Read the full report here.
Two decisions affecting Blackrock Village, either directly or indirectly are the following:
- The Council intends to proceed with the proposed contraflow cycle lane along George’s Avenuefrom Frascati Road to Blackrock Village, despite objections from the BBN and individual local businesses. These objections were based on a range of issues including serious health and safety concerns.
The Council has rowed back on its initial proposal to block off Avoca Avenue to car traffic. Instead it intends to introduce traffic calming measures which may include a reduction in speed limit to 30km/hour
Blackrock Market – Charity Fundraiser
Blackrock Market are running a charity fundraiser during December for the inner city homeless. This includes a raffle for vouchers and other gifts. They have mulled wine and mince pies at the weekends to get you into the festive spirit. So go along and get in the spirit!
Little Forest opens in Blackrock
Little Forest has been almost 2.5 years in the making. It has just opened on Main Street opposite BFEI/Library. It is the third instalment of the Forest Avenue family from John & Sandy Wye and is a modern, ingredient driven, informal, Italian inspired restaurant. Little Forest has always had a passion for Italian food and will have a small, concise menu that consists of antipasti, homemade pastas and Reg White’s wood fired pizzas, plus a small all Italian wine list from small producers. In the warmer months John and Sandy hope to have outdoor seating at the back of the restaurant. At the moment they are offering pizzas via click and collect through their website. They hope to open for sit down dining in the New Year, restrictions permitting.
Never waste a good Hashtag!
Online hashtags# are important! Using #BlackrockDublin along with #shoplocal will help highlight OUR village. Keep an eye out on our social media Facebook and Twitter @Iloveblackrock.
