The gradual transformation of Waterford's quayside continues. The latest development, announced this week, will see new berthing facilities for medium-sized boats constructed at Merchant's Quay, opposite the Granary.
The development will cater for craft too large to be accommodated at the nearby city marina - built two years ago by Waterford Corporation - which has added significantly to the attractiveness of the area.
The new facility is being developed by the Port of Waterford company at a cost of £750,000, with the aid of a substantial grant from Bord Failte.
As well as state-of-the-art pontoons fixed to shore by a cantilevered ramp, it will have pump-out and refuelling facilities, which are not available at the marina. The overall effect, says the company chairman, Mr Ben Gavin, will be to make Waterford a more attractive stopover for boat users.
Due to be completed in June, it will be a welcome addition to the quays, which are changing in appearance almost by the day. Another development due to be completed in the summer is the open plaza opposite Reginald's Tower, announced last year as one of the biggest millennium projects outside Dublin.
Even the new bus station, the most controversial quayside development of recent years, is winning admirers for its striking design, although many continue to believe it is in the wrong location.
Mr Gavin acknowledges there may be a less than universal welcome for the extra car-parking spaces being provided in tandem with the new berthing facilities. "Some people think there shouldn't be parking on the quays, but I think it gives an air of busyness about the city. People come in and see the cars on the quay; they see there's activity and want to know what's going on."
It was certainly an active 1999 for the Port of Waterford company, which announced that 920 vessels carried over 2 million tonnes of cargo in and out of the port, a 23 per cent increase compared to 1998.