COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, July 09, 2012

Question  No. 6

 Councillor E. Higgins

To ask the Manager to instruct the relevant SPC to update the Playground Construction Programme.

REPORT:

The Review of the South Dublin County Play Policy was adopted by the Council at the June 2012 Council Meeting as part of the report of the Strategic Policy Committee on Sport, Recreation, Community and Parks. 

At the meeting it was agreed that the Playground Construction Programme would include additional play areas suggested by the Elected Members since the adoption of the original 2007 - 2012 programme.  However, the focus will initially be on progressing the existing Programme, which is subject to the availability of the resource to do so.  The status of the existing programme is as follows:

Location	Electoral Area	Status
Rathfarnham Castle Park	Terenure Rathfarnham	Completed 2008
Sean Walsh Park	Tallaght	Completed 2009
Griffeen Valley Park (Grange Park)	Lucan	Part 8 completed
Tymon Park	Tallaght	Design Stage
Corkagh Park	Clondalkin	Design stage
Rathcoole Park	Clondalkin	Design stage

Further progress on the remaining playgrounds in the programme is subject to the identification of the necessary finance to advance them. 

In addition to the Five Year Construction Programme, playgrounds have also been provided under successive RAPID Playground Programmes at Quarryvale, Collinstown Park, Killinarden, Fettercairn, Jobstown, Brookfield, and Kiltalown. Unfortunately, the playground at Collinstown Park was subject to continuous vandalism and had to be removed.  

A playground was also provided with the new swimming pool in Clondalkin in 2008.  

It should also be noted that a number of playgrounds have also been provided in the county by private developers e.g. at Adamstown, Balgaddy and Ballycullen. 

As part of the review of the Play Policy, Elected Members have suggested a number of locations where new playgrounds might be provided be provided. These include:

Hermitage Park, Lucan; Waterstown Park, Palmerstown; Ballyowen Park, Lucan and Whitechurch; Rathfarnham.

The Playground Construction Programme will be revised to include these suggested locations and will be brought back to the next Sport, Recreation, Community and Parks Strategic Policy Committee Meeting for agreement. It is intended to prioritise the completion of the existing programme as the necessary resources are identified.