COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Wednesday, May 20, 2020

MOTION NO. 15

MOTION: Councillor F. Timmons

"That this Committee supports Rathcoole Athletics Club request for a 400m running track. This could be around the GAA pitch or on the site Irish Water is on at the minute. We ask for a cost report and assessment for discussion by this Committee."

REPORT:

The Council have assessed the proposal and a 400m running track is not feasible at the current time. A 400m running track would not fit around the existing GAA pitch to the south and, at the location of the Irish Water works in the north of the park, 2 grass pitches previously existed here. A local club, who were previously licenced to these pitches, were accommodated at pitches elsewhere in the county at considerable inconvenience to theirselves. It was always the intention, and committments have been made to ensure the pre-existing pitches were re-instated at this location and ensure the continued provision of facilities previously available in the area.

Irish Water, after much negotiations with SDCC, have recently agreed to construct 2 new pitches to compensate for the removal of the 2 pitches that previously existed at this location; 1 of these pitches will be a full sized pitch.  Installing a 400m running track at this location would remove the possibility of installing a full sized grass pitch and reduce the capacity of Rathcoole Park to 2 small sized grass pitches. The Council's Sports Pitch Strategy recently presented to the Council shows that the Council have a deficit of grass pitches available in the west of the county and cannot afford to lose the possibility of a full sized pitch at this location.

Recent costs for design and construction of a 400m running track include:

Upgrade of a grit running track to full Artificial Surface: €550,000

Provision of a grass running track: €300,000

Please note the above costs were for sites that were chosen due to their predominately level surfaces and / or previously existing surfaces. The site referred to at Rathcoole Park is not a level one so additional costs would be incurred in terms to site levelling / soil removal etc.

If Rathcoole Athletics Club wish to contact public realm to discuss availing of Council owned sports facilities in our parks they may do so at publicrealm@sdublincoco.ie