THE capital's "self-cleaning" and low maintenance Millennium Spire has cost more than €1.1m to keep gleaming and in working order since being erected.
The astonishing sum has been spent on extensive cleaning and maintenance programmes for the monument, which has been beset by difficulties for its six years in existence.
Dublin City Council said that €324,868 had already been spent this year on major lighting repairs and a major cleaning operation.
A massive crane had to be put in place to carry out the operation, which goes some way to explaining the huge cost of the work.
In 2007, the council spent a grand total of €435,633 carrying out the same type of work: a major cleaning and lighting repairs programme.
Between January 2006 and December 2006, they spent a total of €238,432 on the monument, whose lights have failed time and again since it was unveiled in
January 2003.
From then until the end of 2005, the council spent another €180,000 on maintenance and cleaning.
The €1.179m maintenance and cleaning is on top of the €5m spent on constructing the monument, which despite its failings has become a beloved landmark for denizens of the capital.
Dublin City Council said: "It should be noted that 2007 and 2008 were exceptional years in that major lighting repairs and cleaning took place in each year (this year because the crane and equipment were in place anyway).
"It should also be noted that the award of the maintenance contract for the Spire was carried out under a competitive tendering procedure.
"This exercise is currently under way again under the normal procurement procedures and regulations and a new contract will be awarded early in 2009."
The monument, which was described as "self-cleaning" when erected, has suffered a litany of technical problems since being installed.
Its lights have failed on at least five occasions despite the fact that the 1,200 bulbs inside were supposed to last for at least 20 years.
The 'Monument of Light' was also supposed to wash itself, keeping its sheen
as Dublin's plentiful rainfall rolled down its slightly
slanted sides.
Instead, the metal has become badly smeared and the joints between the individual sections become ever more obvious.
The lower section of the Spire has to be cleaned every morning at 7am and the first 12 metres are given a thorough wash four times a year.
The monument – one of the tallest pieces of sculpture in the world – was designed by the architectural firm of Ian Ritchie, the UK-based designer.
Sunday Tribune
www.buckplanning.ie
Showing posts with label spire. Show all posts
Showing posts with label spire. Show all posts
Sunday, 21 December 2008
Saturday, 19 July 2008
Dublin's 'Spire' monument to be repaired
The landmark Spire monument on O’Connell Street in Dublin will be cleaned, polished and repaired this weekend, with resulting traffic restrictions on the capital’s main thoroughfare.
Dublin City Council said it hoped to repair the lights at the top of the Spire, which have not been working in recent months after a problem developed with the rope and pulley mechanism on which the lights are mounted.
A special crane – the only one of its type in the country – will be used to access the top of the structure.
“Weather permitting, it is proposed to erect a crane in the median on Saturday 19th July, with the dual purpose of carrying out maintenance works on the rope and pulley and the lights,” the council said in a statement.
“It is also intended to use the opportunity of the crane being on site to give the structure a further clean even though one was not scheduled until next year.”
On Monday, the bottom two metres of the 120-metre high monument will be treated and repolished. The Spire has been vandalised with acid-based graffiti at a number of points, and this needs to be removed the council said.
There are also a number of deep scratches which will also be repaired.
Central area manager Charlie Lowe said: “There is a planned maintenance programme for the Spire and it was decided that, rather than hiring a 120-metre crane just to work on the lighting and rope and pulley maintenance, cleaning work would be conducted at the same time.
“This is scheduled to take place over the coming weekend, it’s a two-day job and it is subject to weather conditions being suitable.
“The crane is the highest and only one of its type in Ireland, so therefore, it cannot operate in high winds. If conditions are suitable the work will be done this Saturday and Sunday, or may need to be put off for another weekend,” Mr Lowe said.
Additional repolishing works will be done after the cleaning and maintenance work. Traffic restrictions will apply in the vicinity of O’Connell Street during the works.
The Spire, officially called the Monument of Light, was to be erected in time for the turn of the Millennium celebrations and the rejuvenation of O'Connell Street in Dublin in 2000, but was ultimately not erected until April 2003.
The cost of cleaning it was estimated in 2005 at about €50,000, with the cost of hiring the crane making up most of that sum.
Council engineer Michael Kelly told The Irish Times in 2005: "We have to make a call about how often we clean it, so we're going to have to live with a period when it's grubby. The chances are it will be once every five years."
Irishtimes.com
www.buckplanning.ie
Dublin City Council said it hoped to repair the lights at the top of the Spire, which have not been working in recent months after a problem developed with the rope and pulley mechanism on which the lights are mounted.
A special crane – the only one of its type in the country – will be used to access the top of the structure.
“Weather permitting, it is proposed to erect a crane in the median on Saturday 19th July, with the dual purpose of carrying out maintenance works on the rope and pulley and the lights,” the council said in a statement.
“It is also intended to use the opportunity of the crane being on site to give the structure a further clean even though one was not scheduled until next year.”
On Monday, the bottom two metres of the 120-metre high monument will be treated and repolished. The Spire has been vandalised with acid-based graffiti at a number of points, and this needs to be removed the council said.
There are also a number of deep scratches which will also be repaired.
Central area manager Charlie Lowe said: “There is a planned maintenance programme for the Spire and it was decided that, rather than hiring a 120-metre crane just to work on the lighting and rope and pulley maintenance, cleaning work would be conducted at the same time.
“This is scheduled to take place over the coming weekend, it’s a two-day job and it is subject to weather conditions being suitable.
“The crane is the highest and only one of its type in Ireland, so therefore, it cannot operate in high winds. If conditions are suitable the work will be done this Saturday and Sunday, or may need to be put off for another weekend,” Mr Lowe said.
Additional repolishing works will be done after the cleaning and maintenance work. Traffic restrictions will apply in the vicinity of O’Connell Street during the works.
The Spire, officially called the Monument of Light, was to be erected in time for the turn of the Millennium celebrations and the rejuvenation of O'Connell Street in Dublin in 2000, but was ultimately not erected until April 2003.
The cost of cleaning it was estimated in 2005 at about €50,000, with the cost of hiring the crane making up most of that sum.
Council engineer Michael Kelly told The Irish Times in 2005: "We have to make a call about how often we clean it, so we're going to have to live with a period when it's grubby. The chances are it will be once every five years."
Irishtimes.com
www.buckplanning.ie
Tuesday, 5 June 2007
Spire cleaners get prime view of city
A TEAM of cleaners got a unique bird's eye view of the capital yesterday as work finally got under way to put the sparkle back on the Dublin Spire.
Armed with cloths and a special cleaning solution, the "grime-busters" mounted the soaring 400-foot landmark at daybreak yesterday from a massive 120-metre crane erected in the middle of O'Connell Street earlier at the weekend.
A City Council spokesman said the cleaning operation had been completed and was a success.
Lights
But he added that the German company which was doing the work, Hochtief Facility Management, may still decide to remove the lights which have not been working since the end of March.
He said it was hoped to have the lights back in place and operating by Thursday or Friday so the Spire can live up to its official title as the Monument of Light.
Yesterday's clean-up job is just part of the Spire's on-going maintenance programme which costs Dublin City Council more than €200,000 a year. Hochtief clean the first 12 metres of the structure every three months. But this marked the first time since its erection in 2003 that cleaners were able to tackle the job from the top.
Irish Independent
Armed with cloths and a special cleaning solution, the "grime-busters" mounted the soaring 400-foot landmark at daybreak yesterday from a massive 120-metre crane erected in the middle of O'Connell Street earlier at the weekend.
A City Council spokesman said the cleaning operation had been completed and was a success.
Lights
But he added that the German company which was doing the work, Hochtief Facility Management, may still decide to remove the lights which have not been working since the end of March.
He said it was hoped to have the lights back in place and operating by Thursday or Friday so the Spire can live up to its official title as the Monument of Light.
Yesterday's clean-up job is just part of the Spire's on-going maintenance programme which costs Dublin City Council more than €200,000 a year. Hochtief clean the first 12 metres of the structure every three months. But this marked the first time since its erection in 2003 that cleaners were able to tackle the job from the top.
Irish Independent
Monday, 4 June 2007
Wet spell delays Spire's makeover
A €120,000 POLISH of the Dublin Spire was postponed yesterday to ensure it would scrub up well today for its Bank Holiday weekend makeover, writes Anne-Marie Walsh.
When grime-busting officials arrived with containers of a special power-wash to give it a good shine, torrential downpours forced a change of plan.
A 600-ton, 120-meter crane erected for the occasion did not lie idle as the famous monument's lighting system also needed maintenance work.
But with forecasters predicting dry spells today, the operation to put the sparkle back in the €4.8m Dublin city centre landmark finally began this morning.
The top 100 metres of the stainless steel needle is likely to be covered in a layer of dirt from rain and smog as it has never been cleaned.
Dublin City Council promised that its plan to buff the Ian Richie Architects' 'Monument of Light' on O'Connell Street back to its former glory would continue with or without rain.
Meanwhile, a council official said that contrary to rumour, the column was not self-cleaning. He said German firm Hochtief Facility Management cleans the lowest 2.5m of the Spire every day to diminish the effect of people "putting their pawmarks" on its base.
Irish Independent
When grime-busting officials arrived with containers of a special power-wash to give it a good shine, torrential downpours forced a change of plan.
A 600-ton, 120-meter crane erected for the occasion did not lie idle as the famous monument's lighting system also needed maintenance work.
But with forecasters predicting dry spells today, the operation to put the sparkle back in the €4.8m Dublin city centre landmark finally began this morning.
The top 100 metres of the stainless steel needle is likely to be covered in a layer of dirt from rain and smog as it has never been cleaned.
Dublin City Council promised that its plan to buff the Ian Richie Architects' 'Monument of Light' on O'Connell Street back to its former glory would continue with or without rain.
Meanwhile, a council official said that contrary to rumour, the column was not self-cleaning. He said German firm Hochtief Facility Management cleans the lowest 2.5m of the Spire every day to diminish the effect of people "putting their pawmarks" on its base.
Irish Independent
Saturday, 2 June 2007
Tall order to clean up the 'stainless' Spire
A HIGH level cleaning operation has been planned for the dead of night on Dublin's main thoroughfare.
And the target of the €120,000 Bank Holiday Weekend grime-bust? The infamous €5m Spire which was originally believed to be "self-cleaning" at the time of its erection on O'Connell Street in 2003.
However, the central area manager with Dublin City Council, Charlie Lowe, said it was "illogical" to believe the stainless steel tourist attraction would clean itself.
"We don't believe any structure on earth is self-cleaning," he said. "Within months of it being erected it was obvious it wasn't self cleaning."
After nine months of intensive planning, the highest telescopic crane in Ireland will be erected late tonight for two days of polishing and lighting maintenance works.
Two men will be hoisted 120m to clean the column attraction with a power wash and special cleanser.
Louise Hogan
Irish Independent
And the target of the €120,000 Bank Holiday Weekend grime-bust? The infamous €5m Spire which was originally believed to be "self-cleaning" at the time of its erection on O'Connell Street in 2003.
However, the central area manager with Dublin City Council, Charlie Lowe, said it was "illogical" to believe the stainless steel tourist attraction would clean itself.
"We don't believe any structure on earth is self-cleaning," he said. "Within months of it being erected it was obvious it wasn't self cleaning."
After nine months of intensive planning, the highest telescopic crane in Ireland will be erected late tonight for two days of polishing and lighting maintenance works.
Two men will be hoisted 120m to clean the column attraction with a power wash and special cleanser.
Louise Hogan
Irish Independent
Friday, 1 June 2007
Spire getting its spark back
Shine returns as the lights go on for first time since March
DUBLIN’S monument of light will shine again this weekend for the first time since March. The absence of lights on the 400-foot high Dublin Spire sitting in the centre of O’Connell street has concerned residents and tourists over the last two months.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: ‘‘The lights went out in March but, instead of paying the huge amount of money to rent Ireland’s tallest crane, we decided to wait until the general maintenance which is taking place this weekend.
‘‘It’s not like changing a light bulb in your kitchen,’’ she said.
A 120-metre tall crane will be brought in on Saturday and Sunday and, depending on the weather, general maintenance and cleaning will be carried out, including the installation of a new aviation light and 2,000 white luxeon LEDs.
The spokesperson insists that there is no danger to air traffic when the lights are damaged or broken.
‘‘No commercial plane or otherwise flies over it. The only thing that will fly that low over the city centre is the garda helicopter and we have informed the gardai about that.’’
When asked if this light would continue to go out, the spokesperson said there was no way of knowing this.
‘‘If it happens again, we will wait until the next weekend of maintenance before the light will be replaced.’’
It is expected that the spire will cost upwards of €40,000 of taxpayers’ money to clean this weekend. The structure was touted as “self-cleaning” when first erected in 2003 at a cost of €4.8m.
However, the council conceded that its maintenance cost €205,000 last year and will increase to at least €218,000 this year.
German firm Hochtief Facility Management cleans the first 2.5 metres of the Spire at 7am every morning and the first 12 metres every three months.
Hochtief are also responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the lights on the structure.
This is not the first time the Spire lost its spark.
Back in 2003 an aviation warning went out again after the light went out on top. That time the light was replaced in a few hours.
The decorative LEDs, that are supposed to last for ten years have posed numerous problems for those maintaining the monument as well.
The “monument of light”, was designed by Ian Ritchie architects and won numerous design awards.
Cathal McMahon
© Irish Independent
DUBLIN’S monument of light will shine again this weekend for the first time since March. The absence of lights on the 400-foot high Dublin Spire sitting in the centre of O’Connell street has concerned residents and tourists over the last two months.
A spokesperson for Dublin City Council said: ‘‘The lights went out in March but, instead of paying the huge amount of money to rent Ireland’s tallest crane, we decided to wait until the general maintenance which is taking place this weekend.
‘‘It’s not like changing a light bulb in your kitchen,’’ she said.
A 120-metre tall crane will be brought in on Saturday and Sunday and, depending on the weather, general maintenance and cleaning will be carried out, including the installation of a new aviation light and 2,000 white luxeon LEDs.
The spokesperson insists that there is no danger to air traffic when the lights are damaged or broken.
‘‘No commercial plane or otherwise flies over it. The only thing that will fly that low over the city centre is the garda helicopter and we have informed the gardai about that.’’
When asked if this light would continue to go out, the spokesperson said there was no way of knowing this.
‘‘If it happens again, we will wait until the next weekend of maintenance before the light will be replaced.’’
It is expected that the spire will cost upwards of €40,000 of taxpayers’ money to clean this weekend. The structure was touted as “self-cleaning” when first erected in 2003 at a cost of €4.8m.
However, the council conceded that its maintenance cost €205,000 last year and will increase to at least €218,000 this year.
German firm Hochtief Facility Management cleans the first 2.5 metres of the Spire at 7am every morning and the first 12 metres every three months.
Hochtief are also responsible for the maintenance and replacement of the lights on the structure.
This is not the first time the Spire lost its spark.
Back in 2003 an aviation warning went out again after the light went out on top. That time the light was replaced in a few hours.
The decorative LEDs, that are supposed to last for ten years have posed numerous problems for those maintaining the monument as well.
The “monument of light”, was designed by Ian Ritchie architects and won numerous design awards.
Cathal McMahon
© Irish Independent
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