Well, I googled the words “The Mall Waterford” to see what there was to say out there in cyber-land about the sparkling new House of Crystal that now adorns The Mall and, surprise surprise, up pops laudatory blog comments all about the new Crystal Mall! Here’s just a few:
“I’ll have to agree with Stacey: this mall has come a LONG way. Thank goodness for its makeover…”
“Wow, how far the Crystal Mall has come. Teens should thank their lucky stars that this strip in Waterford has seen a total makeover. Not only are the stores in the mall improving but the shopping centre across the street has food and stores!”
“I’d consider [the Crystal Mall] a pretty good mall. Okay, so maybe there are better malls (especially Providence Place in Providence, RI) but as for the New London area this is a pretty good mall!”
Hang on there: while they do mention Waterford and The Mall and Crystal, it quickly becomes clear that they’re talking about somewhere else! Indeed they are: a brand new mall just off the Hartford Turnpike, in Waterford, Connecticut, USA. But it got me thinking that our Mall may well merit the title soon enough of the Crystal Mall. There was a good reaction and interest in my piece on cut-glass crystal making last week. (As a footnote to some of the local history of glassmaking, I was interested to have what I suspected confirmed: namely, that there has never been a woman crystal/glass blower or cutter as part of the general workforce, although there was a very talented female crystal/glass sculptor on the design side of things.)
The Mall Treatment
Anyway, I look forward to bringing you the story of our Mall in the near future, since its origins as the Miller’s Marsh and Mill Pond along low-lying ground south of the Dunderry Tower Wall, aka Reginald’s, extending towards Colbeck Street. The first steps to lay out a passageway began as far back as 1712, with talk of a bowling green and walk in 1725, to the establishment of the Old Mall in 1735/37. Matters were beginning to take their present shape by 1741 with the building of the Bishop’s Palace. In 1783 the construction of further fine buildings helped to create this grand municipal mall. In recent months we have witnessed one of the finest embellishments of this now historic thoroughfare and it is a delight to amble along there now and marvel at what has been achieved – the Crystal Mall, indeed!
Wheelie Important?
Well, I think so anyway and so do the traffic guys at the City Council. They have put a lot of time in planning and implementation of the Green Route along the Dunmore Road to promote traffic flows and facilitate same by the provision of a dedicated bus lane and cycle paths. Every available centimetre of space has been utilised to gain maximum usage for the respective road-users. But despite their best efforts with clearly marked bus and cycle lanes, there are still a number of drivers who seem oblivious to what is being required of them (or with some it may be a case that they couldn’t care less). But let’s give them the benefit of the doubt for a few days. The council spent last weekend putting up clear signage every few metres indicating along which part of the route there is no parking between 7.30 to 9.30 and again from 16.30 to 18.30; they even have gone to the trouble to tell drivers the hours they can park! Equally there is lots of signage along the clearly colour-coded cycle lanes requesting people not to park. Most people are getting the message, but others! A big fine would be fine way of dealing with them (and a tow truck to boot!). To properly launch these lovely new cycle lanes, why not have a dedicated Big Bike Day with all and sundry? Come on, Mr Mayor; why not this for the last fling of your very active mayorality? And by the way, are there no plans for cycle lanes out and in the ways from WIT where there is more than enough scope to accommodate same?
Cupla Focal o Einstein
*Gravitation is not responsible for people falling in love.
*Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds.
* He who can no longer pause to wonder and stand rapt in awe, is as good as dead; his eyes are closed.
*I am a deeply religious non-believer – this is a somewhat new kind of religion.
*I have no special talent. I am only passionately curious.
Go Seachtain Eile, Slan