Hopeful that ‘Vision for Clondalkin’ will provide opportunities
A WIDE variety of groups and organisations are working on ‘Vision for Clondalkin’ document, which they hope will secure a number of long-term objectives for the area.
The working group is focusing mainly on the Clondalkin village area and surrounding historical and heritage sites.
Cllr Francis Timmons (Ind), set up the group following the second stage of the County Development Plan and conversations with local people.
“It builds on Motions I had down on heritage and history, and on Motions agreed by the full council at Stage 2 of the County Development Plan,” he said.
The initiative was set up with representatives from groups including Clondalkin Tidy Towns, Clondalkin History Society, Clondalkin Crochet Group, Clondalkin Heritage Group, The Joe Williams Archive, Clondalkin Helping Homeless, Save Clondalkin Convent Campaign, Clondalkin Handcraft and Horticultural Show, Clondalkin St Patrick’s Day Festival, The Viking Experience (re-enactors) and Áras Chrónáin/Ionad Cultúir.
When the draft is completed, it will be presented to Clondalkin councillors and the four local TD’s who will be asked to provide feedback and make recommendations.
“The idea is to have a document to bring to the County Development plan. Some of the proposals may be dismissed or compromised, but I’d rather have something to bring than nothing at all,” said Cllr Timmons.
“It will have objectives and things we can build on, and some aspects that we can turn into bigger events, tie elements into tourism and long-term development. We don’t expect South Dublin County Council to do all of this, a lot of the people involved in the groups are already doing most of the work, and the council, to be fair have been receptive to date.”
Timmons said ideally, there would be cross-party support for “strength in numbers”.
The Vision group is preparing to present the plan in September to local councillors to give them time to make their own inputs and recommendations.
They hope this Vision will feed into the upcoming LAP, which is to be undertaken as part of the new County Development Plan.
“Some of the issues we are focusing on include the old RIC Barracks, the Fairview Oil Mills in Cherrywood Crescent and opportunities for tourism and employment that they could provide in our village,” said Cllr Timmons.
The Echo will take a look at Fairview Oil Mills next week.
