COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

MOTION NO. 5

MOTION: Councillor B. Bonner

Cathaoirleach's Business

That the Manager would present a report on the hugely successful spooky walk at Corkagh Park on Saturday 29th of October.  In the light of the huge crowds and long wait would it be possible to hold this event over two nights next Hallowe'en?  It appears that the event was so good it was hugely over subscribed.  On a related matter, what is the current status of the Farmer's Market in Corkagh Park?

REPORT:

The "Spooky Walk" which took place on Saturday 29th October, in Corkagh Park was a very successful event, attracting between 8,000-10,000 visitors to the Park. The feedback received from the public was hugely complimentary and positive and seems to have struck a chord with parents and children alike across the county and this has been conveyed to all the staff and volunteers who were involved on the night.  

However, the level of organisation involved in staging events such as these is considerable and very labour-intensive and because the event is free of charge  it is very difficult to predict exactly how many people will turn up on the day.  Because of this, there are significant crowd control, health and safety and traffic management issues emerging, associated with the presence of very large numbers of people in the Park after the hours of darkness. To facilitate crowd control and to minimise queuing times the idea of staging the event over two days next year will be considered, but the additional costs involved are likely to be prohibitive.

In relation to the Farmer's Market, a three month pilot project with Irish Village Markets, was trialled in Corkagh Park from the beginning of July to the end of September to determine the potential for a farmer's market in the park.  The market was launched on Sunday 3rd July as part of the National Play Day event in Corkagh Park and initially appeared to be quite successful. However, this initial success was not sustained, largely due to poor summer weather, and the majority of the stall holders withdrew from the market, on the grounds of insufficient business. 

The possibility of establishing a Farmer's Market for a longer period next year, by seeking expressions of interest from the sector, will be explored further.