Multi-storey carpark levels up

The multi-storey car park in Cavan Town is set to reopen in the coming weeks following a €4M revamp of the under utilised facility.

How to write a sexy story about tonnes upon tonnes of reinforced steel and girded concrete is not exactly a topic they teach in journalism school. Yet there is something curiously attractive in seeing public funds put to good effect, and an edifice that had become a symbol of urban stagnation - plagued by under use, poor lighting, outdated design, and safety concerns - get a long-overdue facelift.

“It's looking well,” says Jim McQuaid, Senior Executive Engineer at Cavan County Council's Road Design Office, when he presented The Anglo-Celt with a tour of the revamped carpark recently.

However, he's keen to stress that success isn't all the council's doing. While the local authority has a remit for public realm investment, the achievements on this project implemented over the 12-month period were realised in collaboration with local firms Alan Traynor Engineering Ltd from Belturbet, main contractor McCabe Group from Ballyjamesduff, and electrical subcontractor Callaghan Electrical.

“They added real value to this project,” attests Mr McQuaid who points out how, from day one, the plan was to factor in a suite of modern features while future-proofing the building in terms of safety, convenience, and ease of use.

Constructed in 2001, the carpark has a storied history, coming to a head in 2014 when the council was legally forced to purchase the loss-making facility using a €4M 30-year loan. This was in addition to annual capital contributions, up to that point.

The pandemic also had a major impact, with usage dropping even further and income slashed by 72.5% in 2020 compared to the previous year.

Having received no major investment in 20 years, the council commissioned a report, which was completed in 2021. It made a number of recommendations regarding important maintenance to ensure the 'long term viability' of the town centre facility.

Another step was to close levels 7 to 15 as a 'precautionary' safety measure and, in 2023, the council appointed Traynor Consulting to oversee the carpark's redesign.

At the “core” of the refurbishment, explained Mr McQuaid, was to protect the carpark's structural steel frame, which had begun to rust in places, against a possible fire outbreak. The addition of three layers of fire-retardant intumescent paint ensures that the structure will provide maximum safety for all vehicles and patrons.

Central to that thought process was the blaze that swept through the Douglas Shopping Centre carpark in Cork back in October 2019 that caused an estimated €30M in damages. Another that resulted in hundreds of burnt-out vehicles occurred at the multi-storey car park on King's Dock in Liverpool on New Year's Eve in 2017.

He says the paint, a powerful tool in passive fire protection, will provide emergency services with up to an hour to either intervene or evacuate as required.

Also installed is a new firefighting communication system, connecting the top and bottom floors.

“We really had to modernise,” explains Mr McQuaid, as he walks the Celt from the bottom floor right to the top, pointing out the various and necessary alterations adopted.

“A lot of thought has gone into this. Realistically we were dealing with an out-dated structure and the challenge was to bring it up to modern standards. I believe we've been able to do that.”

Mr McQuaid worked in the Cootehill MD for four years and would be more comfortable mapping out roads improvement schemes. But this became somewhat of a pet project for him and office colleague Paul Clarke.

Other safety measures introduced include a vastly enhanced monitored CCTV system covering lobbies, lifts and all parking floors; as well as two new high-speed lifts; and lighting equipped with energy-efficient motion sensor LED technology.

There were legacy issues too, such as dealing with drainage at ground-floor level.

Another issue addressed, and a key focus of the finalised plan, was around accessibility.

From an aesthetic and user-friendly point of view, the number of spaces have been reduced to under 300, meaning wider spaces for family parking and disabled access; there is automatic door opening, enhanced signage and pedestrian walkways; as well as the introduction of number plate recognition and multiple payment options - card, contactless and cash. Parking charges remain unchanged at 40c per hour and €2 for a full day.

“We're implementing a whole new carpark management system. All of this though has only been possible with the input from Alan Traynor, McCabes, and Callaghan's. They were first class - all local people who had a vested interest in doing a good job on their own door step; people who had pride in their work.”

Along with colour coded lobbies to off-set the bare walls, the council has further installed a garden motif, as well as louvre panels running up the outside of the building.

“It still allows for airflow and ventilation, but creates a much nicer finish to the front,” suggests Mr McQuaid of the last-minute design addition put forward by Director of Services Paddy Connaughton.

The official date for reopening has yet to be announced, and workmen on site are expected to be finish up in the coming week.

As of now, the revamped structure stands as a testament to how targeted investment and thoughtful design can breathe new life into underperforming public facilities. For years, the carpark failed to attract users, with large sections remaining empty even during peak hours. With the new design and modern uplift, Mr McQuaid is confident, once open, that motorists will return in their droves.

There is a wider hope too that the carpark reopening could help revitalise the surrounding area; while creating much needed space for when the authority moves forwards with their much-vaunted Abbeylands project, and also looks to refurbishing the town's main parking area.

“There is pressure on parking in Cavan Town, and if there are major developments like Abbeylands, that’ll only grow. So we're planning for the future. Money was spent where it needed to be spent, and it was spent well.”