Community feels like the area has been ‘forgotten’

A LACK of community facilities in Citywest makes residents feel like the area has been “forgotten”, according to the chairperson of a local community group.

The area has been a hive of residential development in recent years with many large-scale estates and apartment blocks being built.

However, amenities and facilities to cater to the growing population have been slow to come by and, at present, are unable to match the rising number of people moving into the area.

Lynda Prendergast, chairperson of Citywest Community Council, told The Echo: “We’ve had a rapid growth in the population of Citywest and now we’re seeing local schools full to capacity, and a shortage of creche and pre school places.

“We have two small playgrounds, one park, and we’ve been waiting for the opening of the neighbourhood park.”

The neighbourhood park has been a point of frustration for many in the area, as it was partially constructed by a developer but then left idle and has become overgrown in recent years.

In August of last year, South Dublin County Council said they planned to take-in-charge the park, but in the meantime, residents rely solely on Carrigmore Park as their local park.

Carrigmore Park is currently undergoing a €250k upgrade by the council to include a pump track, a calisthenics area, a teenspace, and a mini woodland.

“Carrigmore Park is a small park, but there is an upgrade happening now and there’s a lot going in, because the park has to work really hard for the whole area,” added Ms Prendergast.

“I’d like to see more parks, more open spaces, sports pitches…we need to see more outdoor spaces.”

Another pressing issue in the locality is the lack of a community space that could facilitate local clubs and events.

“There’s one GAA club in Saggart, for everything else, whether it’s football, rugby or drama, everyone has to leave the area and travel,” said Ms Prendergast.

“Currently, there are no spaces for people to even introduce clubs into the area – there are no pitches, no outdoor spaces and no indoor spaces available.

“We’re crying out for somewhere where clubs can be set up.”

Last December, South Dublin County Council announced details of a €5.2m community centre for Citywest with an expected completion date in the second quarter of 2026.

The centre will be developed by Greenacre Residential DAC, the developer behind the 488 unit apartment development on Fortunestown Lane, and 526 dwellings on Fortunestown Lane and Garter Lane.

After it’s constructed, the community centre will be transferred into the council’s ownership with the aim of promoting health and wellbeing, facilitating community learning and quality childcare.

“Obviously, there will be a new community centre,” said Ms Prendergast, “but it’s still a while away.

“There is a huge disconnect in the area – even though there’s a lovely community – because there’s nowhere for people to socialise together.

“I feel like Citywest falls in between Tallaght and Saggart, and therefore it’s been forgotten.

“I think the amount of housing being developed has grown rapidly in the last four or five years, and it’s hard to keep up with the scale of development in such a short space of time.”

Plans for the construction of a library to serve the area, which will be located in the Citywest Shopping Centre, have also recently been approved by the council.

“I think the library is fantastic, but it’s two years away, and we saw this [the need for community amenities] coming five or six years ago,” explained Ms Prendergast.

“It should’ve been with the apartments, not at the end of them being built.

“You need amenities to build a community, but there’s no village and no community centre here.”