COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN/PALMERSTOWN/FONTHILL AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

QUESTION NO. 7

QUESTION: Councillor M. Ward

To ask the Chief Executive for an update on proposed development in Collinstown Park, play space, teen space, dressing rooms and car park?

REPLY:

A playspace and a teenspace has been proposed and budgeted for in Collinstown Park. In consultation with the local community it was decided it was best to deliver these 2 facilities as a package of facilities.

The proposal in relation to the provision of Teen Spaces has been approved by the Council with project locations and capital funding approved and agreed for 2019.

In Clondalkin the proposal is as follows:

Collinstown Park:

A robust area of activity for teenagers, provision of wi-fi and seating scattered throughout the area. The estimated cost is €120,000.

At the Council meeting in January 2019, it was agreed that the next stage would incorporate further consultation. Intensive consultation directly with teenagers has taken place during 2019 in relation to all the projects. In Collinstown this included feedback from over 500 teenagers; and these teenagers expressed a wish for an area with wi-fi, seating and parkour type equipment. This feedback is being incorporated into the current design stage. Once the current design stage is completed the projects will be subject the required procurement and tender processes. Subject to successful procurement processes the programme for construction will be agreed with the successful contractor.  The playspace will be tendered and constructed at the same time.

In relation to the proposed pavilion; Collinstown Park is one of the proposed projects on the pavilion programme. In 2018 SDCC submitted a funding application to the Department of Transport Tourism and Sport via the Sports Capital Grant Fund. SDCC are currently awaiting the outcome of that application.  However, it must be noted that the Sports Capital Grant process does not allow for car parking to be included in any grant application. In the interim the Public Realm Section will forward a query to the Roads Traffic Section to ask them to consider the provision of formal on-street car parking adjacent to the park. On-street parking is a relatively inexpensive form of parking provision (compared to a new build) and has the added benefit of narrowing the road width. This has been proven to reduce the speed of passing traffic. This would be of great benefit in making for a safer environment especially in a roadside environment adjacent to schools and areas of recreational activity that attract high numbers of children such as at Collinstown Park.