Church of Scientology invite local reps to visit ahead of Victory Centre opening
By Mary Dennehy
LOCAL councillors are being invited on a private tour of the newly refurbished Victory Centre ahead of its official opening this Saturday, October 14, as a new Church of Scientology and Community Centre.
The Echo has learned that local councillors are being offered a preview of the facilities that will soon be open to members of the public and community groups, with a coffee shop also re-opening on site.
The refurbished facilities, according to a spokesperson for the Church of Scientology, include a 1,100-seat ‘grand auditorium’ which will be available for local groups and charities to use as a meeting area for seminars, conferences or concerts, while smaller meeting spaces are also available.
The onsite facilities also comprise of a renovated sports pitch, which is currently awaiting planning permission for flood lights, with a small gym also on site.
A spokesman for the Church of Scientology told The Echo that there will be a division between the church and the community centre, with all facilities free to use for community groups and not-for-profit charities.
He also added that community groups will be invited to view the centre once it opens.
To date, a number of local councillors have organised visits to the centre, with Templeogue- Terenure councillor Brian Lawlor (Fine Gael) hoping to visit next week with some members of the community.
He told The Echo: “I’m going to see the facility next week, see how it has been developed and how it can be used by the community.
“I will be asking how the community centre will be run completely separate of the church, how it will run as a stand-alone community facility.”
Tallaght Central councillor Charlie O’ Connor (Fianna Fail) also plans to visit the Firhouse Road centre and he said: “I’m visiting the centre and looking forward.
“It will be good to have a look at the centre, which I visited many times in the past, and I’m interested to see what’s going on and hear what the plans going forward are.
“There have also been concerns from the community and it will be good to hear how they plan to address these.”
He added: “The local community is entitled to know what’s going on and I’m always of the belief that organisations should be good neighbours, so I’m glad they are reaching out and inviting local councillors to visit.”
The opening ceremony this Saturday is closed to the public and will be attended only by members, a number of whom are believed to be travelling to Dublin from abroad for the event.
See Thursday’s paper for more on the opening of the centre.
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