THE ORGANISERS of the Volvo Ocean Race’s Galway stopover still hope to meet a “tight timeline” for removal of 11 oil storage tanks at Galway docks.
Fuel retailer Topaz has formally handed over control of the tank farm to Let’s Do It Galway, the company organising the around- the-world-yacht race Irish stopover.
Preparatory work began last week and the demolition by a team of contractors is expected to take at least three weeks.
However, under the deal with Galway Harbour Company, the fuel retailer intends to acquire the prime city centre site after the race stopover from May 23rd to June 6th.
It says it hopes to “work with interested parties with a view to maximising the development potential for the area”, close to the city centre and Eyre Square.
The race fleet is en route from Rio de Janeiro to Boston and is due to cross the Atlantic and approach Galway via the Aran islands in the third week of May.
Galway’s stopover “village” is to be located on the tank farm site.
Topaz has moved its storage to the new Enwest farm to the south of the harbour – after the reported purchase of the new terminal by Edward Holdings owner Gerry Barrett, a shareholder in Topaz.
The demolition is exempt from planning approval under the Planning and Development Act 2000, according to Galway City Council, and the scrap will be “recycled”.
The dockside tanks are located so close to the city centre that they would be unlikely to meet updated safety measures.
The Government has committed €8 million to Galway’s participation in the race, which represents the largest State investment of its type to date in a sporting event.
The stopover is expected to attract up to 140,000 spectators with a spend of more than €40 million.
