Uploaded on 2016-04-02 by D-Nealon

After much debate about which would be my top 5 criteria for liveability I finally narrowed my choices after assessing the cities I would like most to live in. This was a very difficult exercise as I believe every option is incredibly important in the fulfilment of liveability of a place. As the following list is "my personal " list of criteria I regard it as highly subjective! 1. SAFETY - It has been the eternal quest of mankind to seek out & inhabit places of safety & Security. 2. HOUSING - Complimentary to safety is a comfortable place to call "home" that is secure from the elements and potential intruders. 3. CLIMATE - for me this is a personal choice, a good climate can contribute to making the most of the outdoors spaces available to us. 4. RECREATIONAL POSSIBILITIES - Related to the previous suggestion , this would include places for kids to play, adequate nightlife, places to relax, places to workout etc. As a big believer in the Philosophy "working to live, not living to work" I regard these concepts as being of more importance (albeit not by much) than Job opportunities, even thought this is a very important factor in liveability, I would not regard it as being part of my top 5. 5. CULTURE - the heart, soul and colour of any community, without it places are sterile and soulless , Museums, Art , Architecture, archeology, history and diverse societies are key to the feeling of place. ## where i live ## I live in a suburb of Dublin City Ireland called Sandyford. It is unusual in that it has been planned as a business district and currently hosts international corporations such as Microsoft, Vodafone etc. Complimentary to this business district are a wide range of residential blocks all designed to a high standard with retail and recreational facilities. The area is served by good clean transportation such as bus and Tram routes to and from the city centre. The 10 mile journey to the centre currently takes 25mins Via Tram and has a frequency of around 4 mins during the daytime rush periods . It is close to the M50 motor way offering quick connections to the Airport and all other major National routes. It was planned as a micro city on the outskirts of Dublin which due to the crash of 2008 hasn't quiet fulfilled it's potential as shown by the incomplete structure in this photo: ![SENTINEL BUILDING][1] Construction on other projects that had been started have recommenced as the need for new office space and residential accommodation re-intensifies. Our criteria for moving here was : 1. SAFETY - the whole area has been designed in such a manner that all public realm is observable from the residential units. There is a significant security presence on the ground as well as CCTV and regular patrols by the Police service. ![Apartments over looking public realm][2] 2. HOUSING - Our Apartment is secure, spacious, Energy efficient, well fitted out, with good outdoor space / balcony as part of well maintained development as are all the other residences in the area. ![residential block][3] 3. ECONOMY The area is a vibrant business and residential district with varied business types ranging from services, manufacturing to retail and IT. This contributes the local economy by means of well paid professionals living and working in the area which, as a result of the low unemployment, rate leads to a vastly reduced crime rate in the locality. ![Local Businesses][4] 4. TRANSPORTATION The ease of access to the rest of the country via the nearby M50 was a major plus for moving to Sandyford. The Tram link to the city centre was also a great attraction as it reduced the need to bring the car to the city centre. There is also a shuttle bus connection direct to the airport from here which is also a major advantage. ![TRAM stop 5 min walk from House][5] 5. INFRASTRUCTURE The locality has several medical facilities, extensive underground parking, it's close to a major reservoir for fresh water, has secure electrical supply and 350mb broadband connection, along with high quality road connections and public transport links making it one of the best areas in Dublin to live and run a business. ![Hospital and road links][6] ## LIVEABILITY RATING FOR AREA## I relation to the key liveability criteria I listed earlier I would give my area a total rating of 64/100. For climate I rated it a 4/10 as Ireland's climate is regarded as temperate many people would question the low rating I have given, well the reason is ... it rains......a lot! The winters are generally mild, wet and windy, the summers are usually warm, wet and not so windy which really isn't conducive to enjoyable outdoors activities. Recreation - I also gave a 4/10, partly because of the climate but mainly because the masterplan was never completed as originally envisaged (yet!) . There is a shortage of Bars, restaurants, outdoor play areas for kids / relaxation areas for adults, all these were supposed to be part of the grand scheme but thus far have failed to materialised. Culture has also gotten a 4/10, there is a children's museum ![Children's Museum][7]and a diverse cross section of nationalities living in the area but that really is all, again a victim a of an unfinished development. Maybe in years to come the theatre that was originally proposed will be built a few gallery's might open but at the moment it seems like a distance reality. Safety - I have allocated a score of 9/10 in the nearly 3yrs we have lived here I have never come across any major trouble outside of the odd attempted break in (due to people not closing doors fully!). I feel safe and secure living here and walking around the area as there are always people out and about or out on their balcony's ( weather permitting!). Housing - I would rate as 8/10 The Apartments in the area were designed and built to extremely high specifications ( by Irish Standards). High good insulation and energy consumption values. Well fitted out and reasonable outdo0r/balcony space. The Developments are well maintained and well managed which is reflected in the general appearance of the area. My Liveability score for Dublin City would be 59/100 Safety - I rated it 6/10, it is a generally safe place but there are no go areas and parts the city centre at night can be considered a little dangerous. Public drug use is common, especially along the quays and random muggings/assaults can be regarded as frequent , usually attributed to over intoxication or drug abuse. Housing - I have given a score of 5/100 due to the massive shortage of properties, and the excessive rents that are being demanded for what little is on the market. There is little or no building being undertaken to provide private homes, most of the developments are being constructed for invest funds for rental income. Homelessness amongst families in particular has increased to crises point with little or no response from local or National government to address this. The accommodation shortage has been described as one of the biggest threats to the economic recovery that has begun here in Ireland with rents swallowing up the majority of peoples incomes, no new housing stock for sale and first time buyers excluded from the housing market by overly rigid banking rules introduced last year to cool the price inflation of the real estate market. Climate - I have allocated a score of 4/10 for the same reasons as mentioned above. Recreation Possibilities - I have awarded and 7/10 as there is quite a lot to do in Dublin with, a large selection of bars, restaurants (although many a re not family friendly), parks shopping etc. Culture - I have given a score of 8/100. Dublin is blessed with several theatres, cinemas, a Natural history museum, art gallery's, (modern & classical) historical building and Library's, including the famous Trinity college old Library (home to the Book of Kells). Dublin culturally is a welcoming place steeped in history & tradition and thus deserves the 8/10 rating for culture. ## If I were Mayor ## If I were Mayor of the area of Sandyford I would radically reshape the landscaping of the area by remove overground parking where possible and introducing place areas for kids both covered and open to the elements. I would also encourage bars/cafes/restaurants to be built/opened along side these areas to encourage a better integration of people and families. The current situation has a children's museum but no playground for children to play anywhere near it! It is nicely landscaped bu tnot exactly suitable as a children's play area ![Kid unfriendly landscape in front of kid friendly museum][8] This is a shame as there are several cafes alongside that would be perfect for parents to relax while watching their kids. I would also curtail the influence the car has on the area with many roads dissecting different blocks at the moment being nothing more than glorified racetracks. Accessibility for people with disabilities and families with small children would be made a priority and not an afterthought like they currently are, the mobility ramps tacked onto the side of the scheme with little or not consideration of how people are supposed to access them. As you can see this threshold almost discourages a pedestrian from entering the shopping/cafe areas ![Unmmobility scheme][9] At present the car is far too dominant a feature of the locality with one part of the central shopping area dedicating over 20 car spaces to over ground use, space that could be better used as a recreational/entertainment area for the public ( Our friend the car already having several hundred public visitor spaces allocated underground). ![The car wins again][10] ## Where I would like to live ## Nafplio, Greece. ---------------- This is a beautiful town on the sea in Peloponnese, Steeped in history and culture it meets all my criteria for liveability 1. Climate - on the sea with generally good weather all year round it' is a short drive to beaches. 2. Culture - the first capital of Greece after independence from the Turks it is steeped in history, has museums theatres, Gallery's etc 3. Recreation possibilities - great bars, tavernas and restaurants, beautiful squares in the old town to explore. close to many beaches and historical sites. 4. Safety - I have never heard of trouble there and from what I have seen I have never been wary of walking around day or night. 5. Housing - Many modern apartments/houses outside the old town and if you are lucky enough and have deep enough pockets some of the traditional Nafplion houses are available in the old town with high ceilings and balconies overlooking the streets and squares where you can soak in the atmosphere from. ATHENS, Greece -------------- My second home! It is steeped in history from the Acropolis of Athens (my favourite place on the planet!) to the Ancient Agora, this place is swimming in culture. The amazing new Acropolis is just stunning and there are some fantastic places to go for a great night out. The Tavernas are generally all family friendly, open air cinema and theatres during the summer what more can you ask for! It is not without it's downsides how ever. The Austerity of multiple bailouts can be seen everywhere which is a pity as with a little investment parts of this city could be brought back to their former glory. My criteria were as follows: 1. Climate- although it does get very hot during the later summer months ( probably why everyone leaves the city in August!) 2 Culture - As said before there is history around every corner and the Greeks are immensely proud of it! 3. Recreation Possibilities - with a good climate and great cafes/ Tavernas you're spoiled for choice. Unfortunately many parks and squares can be no go areas but this is slowly being rectified as far as I am aware and bodes well for the future. 4. Transportation - the Metro and tram links in Athens are cheap, reliable, quick and cover a wide area,.... the buses not so great due to the over reliance on cars but the service is there all the same, just have to give yourself plenty of time to get anywhere via bus! 5. Education - Athens has some great universities & colleges the business school rated as in the top 100 worldwide this year! Barcelona --------- I have never been but have always heard great things about Barcelona. 1. Safety - Barcelona is regarded as one of the safest cities in the world with very little extreme crime to talk about. 2. Climate - beautiful mediterranean weather. 3. Recreation Possibilities - from Los Ramblas to the Barcelona waterfront and it's many parks and squares I can't imagine ever being bored in Barcelona! 4. Culture - Theatres, Galleries, Sagrada Familia, Park Guell, this is endless!5. Environmental - Although Barcelona has issues with air pollution they are actively trying to address it which is more than can be said for many other European cities. [1]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596088131573795.jpg [2]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596094388585729.jpg [3]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596097803171626.jpg [4]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596116816176787.jpg [5]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596121152939257.jpg [6]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596149081478863.jpg [7]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596164342463161.jpg [8]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/1459619097497686.jpg [9]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596187013387359.jpg [10]: https://edxuploads.s3.amazonaws.com/14596193239079524.jpg