COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

Monday, June 20, 2016

MOTION NO.3

MOTION: Councillor R. McMahon

That the opening times of our Public Parks in the County be changed from an advertisied time of 10am to an earlier time of 7.30am at the latest. 

REPORT:

The vehicular access gates to carparks in major parks in the County are currently opened by the Park Rangers Service.  The rangers start work at 10am each day and gates into parks are opened by the rangers once on duty.  While opening time does not change throughout the year, park closing time varies between 5pm in Winter and 9pm in Summer.  It should be noted that the opening and closing of parks relates only to vehicular access into car parks, pedestrian accesses into parks in general remain open at all times.

The automation of the main vehicular gates into Tymon Park at Limekiln Road, Castletymon Road and Wellington Lane is due to be completed in the current year.  Once completed this will allow flexibility in the setting of opening and closing times, as it will be possible to programme the gates to open in the morning and to close in the evening in accordance with the hours of daylight if this is what is required. 

Gates into Rathfarnham Castle are currently automated and opening and closing times are controlled by a time switch as described above.  It is proposed that the Council's Public Realm Section will continue with a programme to automate the main entrance gates to the major parks in the County where access to car parking is required and this will include Corkagh Park and Griffeen Valley Park. It is proposed that schemes to automate entry to the two parks mentioned will be proposed for inclusion in the public realm improvement works programme for 2017.