COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

south dublin county council crest

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, April 13, 2010

QUESTION NO. 19

QUESTION: Councillor E. Coburn

"To ask the Manager for an update on the Ballyroan Community Centre and to detail what community services and activities will be available?"

REPLY:

The Ballyroan Community and Youth Centre was handed over by the Council to the local Management Committee on the 8th of March 2010. In the three weeks since the handover, a huge amount of work has been completed by the Management Committee and the Centre Staff, fitting out the centre with furniture and fittings, setting up the necessasy centre management policies and procedures, as well as meeting and giving a tour of the new facility to all the returning user groups.

All user groups were very impressed with the new facility and all will be returning over the next number of weeks to offer activities and services to the local community. In addition plans are also underway, in consultation with the local community, to identify other additional activities and services that may be required in the centre.

The centre opened its doors to the general public on Monday the 29th of March at 10am, with staff on hand to provide free teas and coffees and to bring visitors on a tour around the facilities. A huge number of the local community have already been through the centre doors and all have been very impressed with the new facilities. All visitors have been encouraged to complete questionnaires making suggestions as to what activities they would like to see in the centre. 

In the next few weeks, the following activities are due to commence: Bowls, Yoga, Bridge, Whist, Badminton, Art Classes, Music Lessons, a Radio Club, Speech and Drama Classes and a Montessori school. The "Meals on Wheels" service will also return to the centre in the near future once all the Community Care Volunteers have been fully trained  to use the new kitchen facilities located within the centre.

There will be an official opening of the new centre at the appropriate time.