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Community divided over sports centre plan

Thursday, 03 June 2010

PLANS for a massive e7 million sports and community facility in Dublin 15 have received a mixed reaction on the Northside. The multi-purpose development in Hartstown Park would be available to various sports clubs in the area. A report, which has the support and endorsement of the FAI, was submitted to Fingal County Council on behalf of the West End Sports Alliance (WESA). WESA is an alliance of all the football clubs that currently play at Hartstown Park, as well as Verona FC, which trains at Grove Road. The group was set up to explore the possibilities of  “proactively consolidating their facilities towards the provision of one amalgamated, shared facility”. The proposed facility would have dressing rooms, a medical room, community/FAS conference centre, a community conference, gymnasium and all-weather pitches with floodlighting and adequate space to cater for over 1,000 players who are members of local clubs. St Perrigrine’s GAA club mentor and Dublin West Sinn Fein representative, Paul Donnelly, claimed there was a lack of consultation in relation to the plan. “I am deeply concerned at the lack of consultation with people involved in this proposal to develop a huge facility in the park,” he said. “The proposal for newly developed all-weather facilities, a multi-purpose sports community centre, BBQ and viewing areas will come as a shock to those in the existing community facilities. It is clear that they will be seriously affected. I am aware of some deep concerns from many in the community over this.” He added: “The proposal will completely remove two pitches currently used extensively by St Peregrine’s GAA club. “As a mentor of a juvenile team, I am shocked that the two pitches we currently use are going to be lost under this proposal. I am also calling for a process of full consultation between all those who currently use the park and those involved in community and sports organisations that would be directly affected to be immediately implemented in the interests of openness and transparency.” Pat Smith of Huntstown Villa FC said his club was “not particularly” happy with the proposal. “We wouldn’t be too pleased about having something that will affect the local community adversely because at the end of the day the facility is supposed to be all about the community,” he told Northside People. “We were adamant that all sports clubs should be fully made aware of the plans.” There was some concern locally that the existing community centres catering for the area would be greatly affected by the proposed new facility as it would make them surplus to requirements. However, Paul Maher of Hartstown Community Centre believes the proposed development “would only be a good thing”. “I would be in favour of the plan as there are a lack of facilities within the community for footballers,” he told Northside People. “I really couldn’t see it affecting us if it came to fruition and it would only be a good thing.” A spokesperson for Fingal County Council explained how it has devised a masterplan for Hartstown Park that would make it an “integral, active, open space to be used by all groups and members of the community”.  “The council is now looking to create a public park that will encourage local residents to actively use this amenity,” she said. “The masterplan sets out a number of key objectives such as redesigning the entrances to the park to improve access and security, and will look at all parks users (sports groups, scouts groups, walkers, dog-walkers etc) to see how the park is serving them,” she told Northside People. “It is intended that clubs and groups would be centrally involved in running such facilities when they are provided.” The council expects to present the detailed masterplan to the Local Area Committee in the coming weeks. It will then go on public display when members of the public can make submissions. “Fingal County Council is aware that the FAI has formulated a detailed proposal for facilities at Hartstown Park,” the council spokeswoman added. “However, for any such proposal to play a role in the wider redesign of Hartstown Park, it would have to be formally considered as part of the public consultation process. “The council is happy to work with any body, group or organisation in order to provide community-based facilities. However, such facilities would need to take account of all users of the park as council provided facilities must be available to all.”