NAAS, 27 June 2001: by Brian Byrne. As work proceeded this week to provide a ‘sample square’ of a completed Monread District Park in Naas, in time for Thursday’s opening of the facility by outgoing UDC chairman Pat O’Reilly, the local residents’ committee on the park is to boycott the event on the grounds that the official opening is ‘premature’. That's a view reflected by a number of the UDC's own councillors.
The official opening will take place at 7.30pm at a location where two park seats and one litter bin have just been erected, beside a ‘headstone’ marking Cllr O’Reilly’s last official public event in office.
But though Cllr O’Reilly promised on his election a year ago that the provision of a playground in the park would be ‘a top priority’, there’s still no sign of even plans for the facility, for which £100,000 has been earmarked.
In a statement issued yesterday, the Monread District Park Committee says there has been ‘minimal action’ on issues raised with the UDC since a meeting last November, which discussed playground and other recreational facilities, safe parking, security, park amenities (picnic tables, seating, toilets), maintenance and landscape issues.
“Since meeting with the UDC we have heard nothing formally from them on the submission,” says the statement signed by committee chairman Conor McGarry. “The initial optimism felt after this meeting has evaporated in the intervening period as there has been minimal action on these issues. For example while the chair of the UDC in his inaugural speech stated his commitment to playgrounds in the town, at the most recent UDC meeting the Town Clerk confirmed that the procurement process hadn’t even started.”
Over the past seven years the residents of the area have been trying to work in partnership with the UDC on the development of the park. During that time they have put forward a number of formal proposals on how the park could be developed for the benefit of all residents of Naas. The committee notes that through rezoning the residents have seen the original park reduced in size.
“On a positive note however, residents have seen the park developed to at least a very basic level,” says Mr McGarry in the statement. But he said that since last November the only official communication from the UDC was a letter stating that the official opening of the incomplete park was planned for 28th June and invited the committee’s views and assistance.
“The official opening of the park is premature, because we have received no response on any of the issues raised in November 2000, the park is in a very basic state of development, and there is no programme in place for the future development of the park. It is our view that the park should not be officially opened until the UDC addresses these issues. The onus is on the UDC to develop the park to an appropriate standard having regard to the views of the residents of the area.”
Cllr Mary Glennon says she will not be attending the opening because she thinks ‘it is an insult to the people of Naas’ to officially open it without a number of essential and promised facilities.
Cllr Pat McCarthy (left) also called the official opening ‘premature’ since there seems to be no clear date as to when the playground will be in place. He recalled how when Cllr O’Reilly was elected chairman of Naas UDC last year, he had made the provision of a playground for the town one of his ‘top priorities’. “But it doesn’t seem to be any nearer reality,” he said.
Cllr Anthony Egan said at a recent meeting of the council that he was under the impression that consultants were already working on the project. "It should have been up and running for the summer holdiays," he said.
Submission made last November to Naas UDC.
©2001/knn