Centre’s car-park gates closed to deter nearby drugs activity
By Mary Dennehy
THE Killinarden Community Centre this week locked the gates to its car park, in a statement against drug activity in the immediate environs of the centre.
Like many communities across South Dublin County, Killinarden is experiencing an increase in visible drug activity on its streets – which in recent times has spread to the community centre car park and its surrounding area.
Hilda Hamilton, centre manager, Lauren McGrath, youth worker, and Richie Greene, a volunteer at the community centre (pic:Aidan O'Neill)
However, not ones to rest on their laurels, the Killinarden community has decided to take positive steps to make safe the area, and declare the Killinarden Community Centre a drug free zone.
Speaking with The Echo, Hilda Hamilton, the centre manager since 2004 and a volunteer since the centre opened in 1987, said that staff are attempting to raise awareness of the situation by closing the car-park gate.
“Recently we’re noticed an increase in drug activity in the immediate environs of the centre car park,” Hilda said.
“We see the centre as a safe place, so decided we had to do something.
“We closed the gates of the car park [but not the centre] to create awareness and conversation around the issue and to make a statement that this activity is not acceptable beside a centre used by the community, and many young people.
It is not normal
“It’s a statement that this activity is not okay, it is not normal.”
She added: “People should be able to visit their local community centre without having drug-selling and drug use in their face.
“The centre should be a safe place to come and socialise in and we have a duty of care to provide that safe place.
The sign erected on the car park gates of the community centre (pic: Aidan O’Neill)
“We need to make it a safe place and declare our community centre a drug-free zone.”
Centre staff are now “turning a negative into a positive” and holding two youth workshops this week, in which young people will come up with ideas for signs or artwork that will declare the centre a safe place.
Raising awareness
“This is all about raising awareness and getting people talking,” Hilda said.
“We are trying to create a positive with a negative and are holding two days of workshops for young people . . . and they’ll come up with maybe a piece of graffiti for the centre wall or signs for the railings.
“We are also holding a football tournament this week and a planting workshop for adults.”
She added: “There are plenty of positive experiences for young people in Killinarden – this is a very active community, and we hope that together we can make safe our community centre for all.”
The Killinarden Community Centre is home to a diverse range of activities for all ages, especially young people between the ages of 10 and 17 years – including drop-in evenings and junior leader training programmes.
