COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL
MEETING OF TERENURE-RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE (2)
Tuesday, September 09, 2008
QUESTION NO 8.
QUESTION: Councillor J. Lahart
"To ask the Manager for a complete update and progress report on events concerning the children's playground at Rathfarnham Castle including the outcome and feedback to residents and the residents association and the latest news regarding the OPW Consultant's report on the Castle Grounds?"
REPLY:
The Parks Department is in regular contact with representatives of Rathfarnham Castle Residents Association (RCRA) and officials from the Parks Department and representatives of the Residents Association have held monthly update/progress meetings. The most recent meeting was held in August.
The following is a summary of matters discussed and actions proposed:
The new playground was effectively completed and made available for use on Wednesday 21st May. Since then, groups of teenagers and young adults have started to congregate in the playground at night causing noise and disturbance for local residents.
While youths congregating in the park at night is not new (previous gatherings occurred mainly at weekends and were generally located in the woodland area of the park), the fact that they are now congregating in and around the playground has brought them considerably closer to the houses which overlook the park with a consequent increase in disturbance and nuisance for the residents.
In order to control and deter this anti-social behaviour the following measures have been put in place by the Parks Department:
CCTV:
The Parks Department has installed a CCTV system, which records continuously. Parks Department depot staff monitor the system during daytime working hours.
Arrangements are currently being made to add a ‘voice over P.A. system’ and to have the CCTV monitored at night by a private security firm via a broadband link.
Liaison with Rathfarnham Garda Station:
The Parks Department is liasing with the community Gardai for the area on an on going basis. The Parks Department and the RCRA met with the Community Garda for the area on the 27th May to discuss mechanisms to break the current pattern of nighttime anti-social behaviour.
In relation to controlling anti-social behaviour outside of park opening hours when our staff are not present, the council is very much dependent on the Gardaí enforcing the law and the Council’s own Bye-laws.
To assist the Gardaí in dealing with anti-social behaviour outside of park opening hours, the Parks Department have forwarded copies of the Parks Bye-Laws to the Community Gardaí and we have installed signage at the park entrances clearly displaying the opening and closing hours.
To facilitate access by patrol cars at night, the Parks Department have also provided the Gardaí with keys for the entrance gates at The Woodlands and Castleside Drive.
Patrols by private security company:
In order to break the emerging pattern of night time anti-social behaviour at the playground, the Parks Department also took the exceptional step of engaging a private security company to patrol the playground. This is the first time that such measures have been put in place in relation to a parkland playground.
The security patrols were put in place in June and took place initially three times per night between park closing time and 2.00am. Since August 8th the frequency of these patrols have been increased to five times per night until the night time monitoring of the CCTV system is in place.
Entrance at The Woodlands:
As per the RCRA request, the Parks Department has closed and locked The Woodlands gate each evening for a trial period. Locking of the gate commenced on May 22nd. To facilitate the Park Ranger service travelling from Tymon Park the gate is closed approximately one hour in advance of normal park closing times i.e. during the month of September the gate is closed at 7.00pm instead of 8.00pm. This allows the Park Rangers time to return and clear Tymon Park by the official closing time.
As agreed with the RCRA, the Parks Department have undertaken to replace the existing double leaf vehicle entrance gate with a lockable pedestrian only gate at The Woodlands. The new gate shall be installed during the autumn/winter months.
Entrances at Rathfarnham Road, Grange Road, Rathfarnham Wood and Castleside Drive:
Rathfarnham Road:
The boundary along Rathfarnham Road is currently open and under the control of the OPW. The Council is aware that the OPW intends making a planning application in respect of works to the castle in the near future and it will include proposals for a new boundary treatment and a lockable pedestrian only gate.
Grange Road & Rathfarnham Wood:
In 1997 a right of way between Rathfarnham Wood and Castleside was extinguished by the Roads Department. Following investigation regarding the possible existence of a right of way through the Park between the Grange Road and Rathfarnham Wood entrances resulting from this extinguishment, the Parks Department is satisfied that no right of way exists.
The entrance at Grange Road consists of an existing lockable pedestrian gate.
The current entrance at Rathfarnham Wood consists of an unlockable anti-cycle gate. In advance of any proposed alteration to a lockable pedestrian gate, the RCRA propose to consult with the residents of Rathfarnham Wood. The closure and locking of these gates at night will result in inconvenience for local residents, as alternative routes to this current ‘short cut’ would be required.
The Parks Department have advised the RCRA that the closing of all access points may result in an increase in the levels of anti-social behaviour in the park and impede Garda access to deal with such problems.
Castleside Drive:
The entrance at Castleside Drive consists of an existing lockable pedestrian gate and double maintenance gate. OPW staff lock the double maintenance gate at night.
In advance of any proposed alteration to locking the pedestrian gate, the Parks Department propose to consult with the Office of Public Works. It is anticipated that the closure and locking of this gate at night may also result in inconvenience for local residents, as they would have to use alternative routes.
Noise Monitoring:
The Parks Department has undertaken noise monitoring pre and post playground opening to determine noise levels.
A report on the findings of this monitoring has been made available to the Residents Association. A copy of the report is also available at the meeting.
Progress to date on other issues of concern to the RCRA is as follows:
Landscape reinstatement works in Rathfarnham Castle Park:
Landscape reinstatement works including grading and seeding to the grass area surrounding the playground were completed by the Parks Department at the end of May.
Landscape reinstatement works to roadside grass verge at The Woodlands entrance:
Landscape reinstatement works of grading and re-seeding have been completed by the Parks Department.
Pedestrian pathway from Rathfarnham Castle to the playground:
A new tarmacadam pathway linking the existing car park to the main access gate of the playground was installed by the Parks Department during the month of May.
Car park signage:
The existing car park adjacent to Rathfarnham Road provides parking for access to the playground. The Parks Department has installed finger post signage at the following locations to indicate parking for the playground:
- Rathfarnham Road
- Castleside Drive Entrance
Car parking at Rathfarnham Road:
At the beginning of June with the agreement of the OPW the Parks Department reduced the existing 3 No. bus spaces to 2 No. spaces.
An additional 20 No. new car parking spaces have been installed. The car park opening time has been altered to 9.30am to deter all day commuter parking.
Playground maintenance and inspections:
The playground is the subject of daily inspections by depot staff and weekend inspections by the Park Ranger service.
Planting of clusters of trees surrounding the playground:
The Parks Department have undertaken to plant clusters of standard trees which will be strategically placed on the perimeter of the playground to provide filtered views into the castle grounds and from within the castle building. As requested by the RCRA, this will include 6 No. trees which will be planted on the eastern/northern side in direct line of sight from the playground to The Woodlands entrance. Planting shall be carried out during the 2008/09 planting season.
Boundary screen planting at The Woodlands entrance:
As requested by the RCRA, the Parks Department have undertaken to provide additional screen planting on both sides of the entrance at The Woodlands to further screen views of the playground. The planting will be carried out during the 2008/09 season.
Boundary screen planting in the re-instated temporary site works entrance area:
The Parks Department have undertaken to provide boundary screen planting in the location of the re-instated temporary site works entrance gate. The planting will be carried out during the 2008/09 season.
Standard tree planting in the roadside grass verge at The Woodlands entrance:
As requested by the RCRA, the Parks Department have undertaken to plant standard trees in the roadside grass verge at The Woodlands entrance. The planting will be carried out during the 2008/09 season.
Boundary screen planting:
Earlier in the year, the Parks Department completed screen planting along the boundary with 10A The Woodlands and along the rear boundary of The Parklands.
Existing seating bench:
The existing seating bench on The Woodlands side of the playground was removed by the Parks Department upon completion of construction works.
OPW Consultants Report:
As previously reported, the Office of Public Works engaged consultants to prepare a masterplan for the future development of Rathfarnham Castle, the courtyard complex and the Park.
The Office of Public Works has agreed to attend a future meeting of the Terenure/Rathfarnham Area Committee to present the masterplan when it has been completed.