COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE (2)

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

MOTION NO 13.

MOTION: Councillor M. Ardagh

"That the Manager state if further contact has been made with the Rathfarnham Residents in relation to the location of the playground in Rathfarnham Castle and to ask if a resolution to the difficulty has been found - following the meeting with residents on 15th February."

REPORT:

Officials from the Parks Department have met with varying parties of residents from the estates immediately adjacent to Rathfarnham Castle Park on February 15, February 21 and February 22 to address and explore means of resolving concerns and particular interests in relation to the playground currently under construction.

Arising from these meetings, the following is a summary of actions proposed:

§         A Residents Association is to be formed and its committee notified to the Council in order to provide a channel for future contact between the Council and residents in the area.

§         The Parks Department is to liaise with the Council’s Traffic section, in conjunction with the residents, to discuss and agree approaches to addressing the management of parking in the area.  In particular, signage and the placement of double yellow lines, coupled with enforcement by the local traffic warden have been put forward as proposals to address parking concerns at Woodlands and other cul-de-sacs as appropriate.  The Parks Department have also undertaken to provide signage at the main entrance to the park from Castleside Drive to indicate parking and access for the playground.

§         The existing car park adjacent to Rathfarnham Road will provide parking for access to the playground.  The Council is exploring, in conjunction with the Office of Public Works, the extension of this existing car park to provide for additional parking.  The Parks Department will provide a new pedestrian path to directly link the existing car park facility to the playground and the main access gate into the playground has been oriented towards the existing car park and away from The Woodlands cul-de-dac to deter parking in this area.  The Parks Department has also clarified that it has no proposals to locate a new car park with access from The Woodlands.

§         The Parks Department have reviewed the overall design and internal layout of the playground with the contractor and have reconfigured the arrangement of some items of equipment to provide for substantially greater distance between the boundary of the playground and the boundary of adjoining properties.

§         To address concerns relating to possible noise and visual impacts, the Parks Department have undertaken to provide an increased density of screen planting, to include the provision of more evergreen planting along the boundary with 10A The Woodlands and to the rear boundary of The Parklands.  The residents also requested a three metre high, brick faced screen wall, to replace the existing boundary between 10A The Woodlands and the park. The Parks Department has considered this request and, having regard to the likely cost of such a wall, provisionally estimated to cost in the region of €50,000 and for which there is no financial provision, has advised the residents that this demand cannot be met.  Clusters of standard trees will be strategically placed on the perimeter of the playground to provide filtered views into the castle grounds and from within the castle building.

§         In response to issues raised with regard to security within the Castle grounds, officials from the Parks Department held a meeting with the OPW on February 28 to discuss proposals for joint initiatives to enhance security of the entire Rathfarnham Castle complex including the buildings and surrounding parklands.  Various proposals were put forward for further investigation by both parties including closure of access gates into the park during hours of closure for the park, pooling of staff resources to facilitate opening and closure of gates and patrolling of grounds, shared use of CCTV monitoring system and its extension to provide coverage specifically over the playground area and reinforcement of cooperation with the local Gardai Siochana in addressing anti-social behaviour.