COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

QUESTION NO. 1

QUESTION: Councillor E. Coburn

"To ask the Manager for an update on the Darglewood footpath and to detail the expected completion date?"

REPLY:

Works commenced on site on Tuesday 15th November 2011.  The east-west route was excavated and laid with hardcore before Christmas.  In January the boundaries to the east and west were dug and foundations poured. Access gates have been erected at all four entrance points. With the current wetter ground conditions we estimate 8-10 weeks to complete. The majority of the works (footpath finishes, access point finishes and concrete block walls) to secure the open space and allow use by pedestrian and cyclists will be completed earlier than that, before Easter; the more labour intensive and craft based stone work to cover the concrete block walls will take a little longer. During the course of works it was also decided to repair the existing north-south footpath also as it obviously would require maintenance in the near future and it is most cost effective to complete these works at the same time. The north-south footpath is currently being excavated and hardcored (when the tarmac is being laid the Parks Department will replace the north-south footpath with one of same width and position as currently exists). Once the excavation works are completed this week the digger will progress to laying the ducting for lighting. The tarmac will be laid after that. Ideally these works would occur simultaneously but due to the wet ground conditions this side of the New Year the Parks Department are working off the hardcored pathways in order to prevent damage to the grass land.  The Planning Department have received one complaint from a local resident in relation to the vehicular gate. This gate is one normally used by the Parks Department throughout the county. It is of necessity robust and requires low maintenance. The Parks Department have been using this location for access for some time now because access from other locations are not feasible; Scholarstown Park because the entrance is too narrow and the Templeroan and Knocklyon Roads have traffic volumes that would not allow maintenance vehicles to stop and complete a turn in safety. However we will paint all accesses including the vehicular gate with black paint to match the new railings and to allow the metal work to bend in with the surrounding landscape. Once the works are fully completed and the boundary is finished with railings, painting and proposed planting the gate will not look as stark as it is at present and the area will look more attractive.