Sneaky Dolores Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 I think there's a lot of scope for doing the prom up and making it more popular with people. I really like the idea of putting the horse tram track onto the promenade, like the electric tram is in Blackpool (is that still there? Haven't been to Blackpool since I was in the Brownies). A really nice, hot-house kind of cafe area over the sunken gardens would be pretty good in my opinion, although yeah, it'd have to be made of tough stuff to survive the storms and disaffected emo skateboaders. A permanent bar / restaurant would also be kind of nice. I'm all for spending money on the prom if the money is there and the plans are good. Go for it, I say. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeky boy Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 The problem with the prom is that it tries to combine a residential development area with a main commuter route, a historic horse-drawn tramway,a cycleway, pedestrian walkway, botanical gardens, pisshead shelters and car park Perhaps an appraisal of the importance of these competing functions and a decision as to which ones should be dropped might be a better idea than adding another expensive aspect IMHO binning the horse trams, the car park & the arterial commuter route would make the space a bit special If David Christian wants to spend my hard earned money on glazing over the sunken gardens then I would be happy to review the cost/benefit analysis report which he has (I assume) commissioned Oh, Keyboarder. Not forgetting the beach, where I take my daughters huge dog for a shit in the morning. Me that is,not the dog, he shits in Nobles Park around lunchtime Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keyboarder Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Oh, Keyboarder. Not forgetting the beach, where I take my daughters huge dog for a shit in the morning. Me that is,not the dog, he shits in Nobles Park around lunchtime And then the three of you retire to your place to create more internet footage? You may get a grant for that you know......; ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jesdo Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 The problem with the prom is that it tries to combine a residential development area with a main commuter route, a historic horse-drawn tramway,a cycleway, pedestrian walkway, botanical gardens, pisshead shelters and car park Perhaps an appraisal of the importance of these competing functions and a decision as to which ones should be dropped might be a better idea than adding another expensive aspect IMHO binning the horse trams, the car park & the arterial commuter route would make the space a bit special If it's a choice between these functions, I agree that the horses should be the first to go - closely followed by the pissheads . Parking could go if sufficient parking (for offices as well as shoppers) was provided - or workable public transport (ha ha). Arterial commuter route harder to get rid of - isn't it the **only** route between South and North when the TT course is closed? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 If David Christian wants to spend my hard earned money on glazing over the sunken gardens then I would be happy to review the cost/benefit analysis report which he has (I assume) commissioned Let's hope he includes the regular repair bills for that - when the winter storms arrive and the sea starts throwing up stones - or after the local yobs start clog dancing on top of it. Another stupid idea from the wannabe Minister of Silly-Talks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Overdose Posted February 15, 2008 Share Posted February 15, 2008 I've not heard or read anything about this £10m refurb of Douglas prom anywhere else so forgive me for not knowing all the facts here, but who's paying for this work? Douglas Corp or Government? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Al Poker Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Anyone who has driven down the prom in a car with remotely hard suspension knows what a terrible condition it is in. It's like driving down a dirt track sometimes. This work inevitably needs to be done at some point - so they may as well do it now, before the island gets even busier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Celt Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 What have dog turds got to do with the sunken temple The Sunken Temple is a dungeon in World of Warcraft. It is cool, David Cristian is not . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
manxy Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 I think there's a lot of scope for doing the prom up and making it more popular with people. I really like the idea of putting the horse tram track onto the promenade, like the electric tram is in Blackpool (is that still there? Haven't been to Blackpool since I was in the Brownies). A really nice, hot-house kind of cafe area over the sunken gardens would be pretty good in my opinion, although yeah, it'd have to be made of tough stuff to survive the storms and disaffected emo skateboaders. A permanent bar / restaurant would also be kind of nice. I'm all for spending money on the prom if the money is there and the plans are good. Go for it, I say. Here's a suggestion and although it's open for criticism, its based on similar lines as the one mentioned above. There is a reasonable amount of area along the walkway/cycle lane along the prom and maybe some type of electro magnetic tram (maglev system) could be used, but without the necessity of speed as it's only a short distance to the tram stop (when it's open). http://www.o-keating.com/hsr/maglev.htm Basically, the maglev is a magnetic levitation tram which floats 10mm above the track and does not have any moving parts and therefore no maintenance. The middle section of roadway could then be turned into a 3 or 4 lane roadway. If enough space for 4 lanes, the outside lanes could be used by the buses (vehicle access) and emergency vehicles (quick response). Having said that, any vehicle near the prom edge, would be open to bad weather, sea gales storms etc and the track in the middle might be able to be adapted for a maglev tram. So there's a couple of areas that might spend the £10 million better and I open the floor for other suggestions or ideas. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Albert Tatlock Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 Basically, the maglev is a magnetic levitation tram which floats 10mm above the track and does not have any moving parts and therefore no maintenance. Pulled by horses with magnetised horseshoes floating a couple of inches above the walkway perhaps? I think any further investment in trams along the prom would be a complete white elephant - e.g. where are these hundreds of users going to park just to ride along the prom? I would still go for a single central horsetram track, two traffic lanes (four where already feasible) and the (potential) provision of hundreds of extra parking spaces - keeping the walkway free for residents to enjoy for just cycling and walking. We are about to spend £50 million on just sorting out the prom and extending Ronaldsway runway (for no real valid reason) - and gods knows what else on glass rooves for gardens etc. I think the public accounts committee should be getting very angry and investigating the millions of pounds that are being pissed away at the moment. So much for all the election promises from numerous prospective/now elected MHKs about controlling public finance. All this at a time when care and other spending is being restricted, when the US and UK are about to enter at least a period of slow growth, if not full blown recession, and when there is a chronic shortage of housing on the island. God only knows what the costs are going to be if we need to fix the MER lines between Laxey and Ramsey. It beggers belief that this thinking is the norm here. It's time for a few politicians with balls or just a little honesty and integrity to start making a real stink about all this. It makes me ashamed to be Manx sometimes. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheeky boy Posted February 24, 2008 Share Posted February 24, 2008 The sunken gardens are quite nice as they are, glassing over them would make them to hot in summer and they will still be freezing in winter. Unless the corpy expect us to pay for heating and cooling them as well. Why not do something which would be really popular with Douglas ratepayers, knock the 10 million quid off the rates Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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