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GAA club demands changing rooms

Wednesday, 23 July 2008

A GAA club in Baldoyle, who have had no changing rooms or clubhouse since their formation seven years ago, have made a renewed call for facilities at Seagrange Park.
Na Dubh Ghall GAA Club believes that the Brickfields site beside Bayside DART Station would be a suitable location for such facilities.
The site was suggested at a public meeting between Bayside and Baldoyle residents, local councillors and representatives of the developer who jointly owns the site with Fingal County Council.
Local residents have called on Fingal County Council to give space over to community groups and clubs like Na Dubh Ghall.
The club currently has over 800 members. The players – both male and female – have had to change for matches in the open at Seagrange Park.
Juvenile chairman at Na Dubh Ghall, Peter Grassick, told Northside People: “Our club has 23 teams and on any given day of the week there will be one out playing.
“In 2005, we were involved in a proposal along with local residents’ associations to have the Brickfields site made into amenities for the local community like meeting rooms, a coffee shop and part of this was changing rooms and an all-weather pitch for our team.
“We understand that at the time, the idea wasn’t accepted by Fingal County Council, but now that people are talking about the future of the site again, we think our idea should be listened to.”
Mr Grassick said there are currently no facilities for the team at all.
“We are hoping to get some new pitches at the development at the Coast (on the site of the old Baldoyle Racecourse),” he added.
“The council have been very sympathetic but this site (Brickfields) is much closer to where we play.
“We get on well with Fingal County Council and the Parks Department have been doing a fantastic job for us recently.”
Cian O’Callaghan, a Labour Party candidate in next year’s local elections, is backing the club’s proposal, as is local Socialist Party representative, Brian Greene.
“The communities of Bayside and Baldoyle spoke clearly at last Tuesday’s meeting,” said Mr Greene.
“The recreational use of the lands at Seagrange Park which are zoned open space/amenity is worth fighting for.
"We have identified a community gain now for the Brickfield site.
“Allowing the land to be used to its full potential under its existing zoning by granting permission to the local GAA club to site units for dressing rooms is something the community does support and we will work towards securing this.”
Fingal County Council has confirmed that a number of presentations were made to them by the Affordable Homes Partnership to develop a site at Brickfields.
A spokeswoman for the council told Northside People: “The area committee decided not to pursue rezoning of the site at present, and land use requirements for that site will be looked at under the Development Plan Review Process commencing in mid-2009.
Earlier this month, the developer Quinn Property, told Northside People of their proposed development for the site, which will include 70 per cent affordable homes and provide a new infill development in an already-established residential area.
They said the final proposal would also contain a substantial crèche providing local childcare places, and facilities for the local community including a community meeting room on site and parkland facilities.

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