Centre urges people to ‘take back’ park
By Aideen O'Flaherty
THE manager of Killinarden Community Centre is calling on people in the area to “take back” Killinarden Park, in a bid to address ongoing issues with people using the greenspace for joyriding and illegal dumping.
Playing pitches in the park, which are used by Croí Ró Naofa GAA Club, were damaged last week as tyre tracks were marked in the pitches as a result of joyriding, while there are also persistent issues with illegal dumping and burnt out cars in the park.
The park in Killinarden has issues with joyriding and illegal dumping
Hilda Hamilton, the manager of Killinarden Community Centre, told The Echo: “We can’t be relying on the council to sort this out – cars shouldn’t be in the park.
“Where is the source of this? Where are they buying the cars?
“It’s no use ignoring it, it’s terrible.”
The community centre considered hosting their Easter egg hunt in the park, but when they looked at the condition of park they held it elsewhere.
Destroyed
“The pitches are being destroyed, which means matches can’t be played, and the park is being destroyed too – local people are losing out on it,” Ms Hamilton said.
“There needs to be a local initiative to take back the park and stop the joyriding.
“It should be a three-way process between the council, the gardai and the community.”
Ms Hamilton added: “It’s a local amenity that we want to use.”
It is believed that the joyriders are gaining access to the park through Knockmore Drive, Knockmore Crescent and Killinarden Estate, and Sinn Féin councillor Cathal King is calling for the stub wall around the park to be upwardly extended in order to deter the joyriders.
Cllr King tabled a motion at the Tallaght Area Committee meeting in February, where he suggested that the council should extend the stub wall, and it is expected that the council will present their proposed costs for this at next week’s area committee meeting.
Cllr King told The Echo: “I’m hoping we will have the cost findings at next week’s area committee meeting.
“We’ll be pushing for the funding to be used to double the height of the wall.
“The joyriding is getting out of hand at this stage.”
South Dublin County Council were contacted for comment, however they did not respond in time for print.
