New public buildings taking shape
WORK is progressing rapidly on two multi-million Euro seats of justice that are set to alter the urban landscape of Wexford - the new Garda Divisional Headquarters on Mulgannon Road and the Courthouse in Wygram.
The Garda Station contractors, Duggan Brothers Ltd of Templemore, County Tipperary have now been on site for a year and the Office of Public Works has confirmed that the project is on target for completion by July of 2017.
Anticipation is building among the 80 force members and staff in the soon-to-be-vacated Garda Station in Green Street as the new station takes shape- the 4,000 sq metre headquarters will rise to five storeys at its highest point and there are also three storey and one storey elements.
‘It will be fantastic. We’re already planning for the fit-out and have been holding regular meetings with the architects,’ said Chief Superintendent John Roche.
The building will provide modern and spacious facilities for staff along with a conference area and 15 detention cells to replace the existing two cells and allow for seven-day detention which is currently not possible in Wexford due to inadequate space.
A new public reception area with private visitor and interview rooms are also incorporated in the new premises which is costing approximately €22 million to build. The outside parking area will have 124 spaces.
Garda staff won’t have far to travel when they re-locate as the new building is in the heart of the town just 300 metres from the existing station but transferring the station’s elaborate IT programme, Garda Pulse system and the town’s CCTV monitoring centre will prove trickier according to the Chief Superintendent.
The OPW said no decision has yet been made on the fututre of the existing garda station.
Meanwhile the new Wexford Courthouse building in the former Tate School and Municipal Buildings in Wygram is also progressing well, according to a spokeswoman for the court service.
‘ The work is on schedule and is due to be completed in September 2017’, she said. A tower crane went up on the site at the end of May along with scaffolding to the existing building which is a central part of the project.
Noise and disruption emanating from the site has reduced considerably since the rock excavation process was completed for the basement of the building.
Contractors Bam Building said it is trying to minimise the disruption to adjoining residents as much as possible. Anyone with questions or concerns is asked to contact the project or site manager.
Under the Private Public Parntership Model, the courthouse is being designed, built, financed and maintained by BAm PPP PGGM.