COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

South Dublin County Council Crest

MEETING OF LUCAN/PALMERSTOWN/NORTH CLONDALKIN AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, May 25, 2021

QUESTION NO. 25

QUESTION: Councillor L. O'Toole

To ask the Chief Executive for an update on the teen space planned extension in Griffeen Park (on Newcastle road) and if the report could include drawings, including the planned markings for the multi sports wall ball. The all weather pitch (Weston hockey) is a great attraction for young people, will the teen extension include a surface suitable for mix sports, and would management be willing to liaise with with the local youth workers (details can be provided) as their input would be valuable.

REPLY:

SDCC have just completed a teenspace survey in the area. All of the local secondary schools and sports clubs with teenage members were contacted and requested to complete the survey. In total there were 382 responses with roughly 50/50 split between females and males.

54% of all survey respondents selected Wi-Fi as the most important element in of a teen space. This was followed by informal seating (26%), exercise area (21.9%), play (14.7%) and music/dance area (10.8%). Bike racks were also requested.

For exercise an Outdoor Gym was the most requested item with 54.3% of stating this was their first preference.

A number of changes are also due to be made to the ball wall as there is a conflict between the basketball hoops and other uses of the wall. The basketball will need to be moved to an alternative location closeby. The green area close to the ball wall was also due to be levelled as part of the ball wall works. These works were stalled due to the COVID 19 crisis so are due to be completed as part of the teenspace works. it has to be established if markings will be applied to the wall as they may conflict with the anti-graffiti spray. This will be assessed during phase 2.

A tender for the design and build of the Teenspace will be issued later this month with works likely to commence in Q4 2021. We hope to get the green area next to the ball wall levelled and reseeded in the next month.