Greenhills Park is not ‘an appropriate location’ for teenspace

GREENHILLS Park would not be “an appropriate location” for a teenspace facility, according to South Dublin County Council, but a teenspace is being considered for Beechfield Park in Walkinstown.

A number of teenspaces have been developed in other parks around the county, and include multi-use game areas (MUGA), calisthenics, parkour, speaker posts to play music and informal seating.

At an area committee meeting last week, Cllr Lilian Guéret (FF) asked the council if they would consider developing a teenspace “or some provision for youth activities” in Greenhills Park.

“Public Realm examined Greenhills Park as a prospective site for a teenspace, and did not consider that it would be an appropriate location for such a facility,” said the council.

“In consultations to date, teenagers have generally requested public spaces that are well overlooked, or places with a high level of activity or footfall.

“Teenagers like busier places as such spaces improve their safety and makes them more likely to use the facilities so Public Realm look for spaces where teenagers can see and be seen.

“Greenhills Park is in the centre of a residential area and is intensively used by a number of existing sports clubs.

“It is difficult to find a suitable site that is not too close to existing houses, or does not already have an existing use by clubs, but yet remains within an active/well-overlooked location.”

The council noted that the teenspace at the Limekiln end of Tymon Park is within a kilometre of Greenhills Park.

The local authority added that requests had been received for a teenspace in Beechfield Park near the refurbished basketball court “which would be a more successful location.

“The play area, exercise circuit and tennis courts have made the area a hub of activity and a teenspace may add to the amenity of that space.”