New skate park could be BMX club location
By Maurice Garvey
THE new €1.6 million skate park and playground in Ballyfermot could see a BMX club located there, with training provided by instructors from Ballyfermot Youth Service.
The Echo understands talks are ongoing between Dublin City Council, councillors and local groups, with regard to this, along with funding for security and staff at the amenity, located at Le Fanu Park, adjacent to Ballyfermot Leisure Centre.
Work continues on the skateboard park
Construction work started on the play, skate and BMX park, at the start of July, and the project is due to be open to the public in 2020
“The plan is that the BMX club will be based there,” said Gerry McCarthy, Ballyfermot Youth Service Manager.
“The big thing is staff. You need someone there to ensure it is not wrecked.”
Independent Councillor Vincent Jackson has previously raised concerns about security at the skate park, urging the city council “not to just walk away from it” when it opens to the public.
Shortly after construction work began at the site in July, a security guard was assaulted by a gang of up to 15 people – DCC citing “serious threats” made to contract workers on site.
At the time, DCC told The Echo they were liaising with the contractor and gardai “to ensure this important amenity for the youth of Ballyfermot and wider area is able to progress without threat of violence to people who are employed on the site.”
Mr McCarthy believes the amenity will prove invaluable to the community.
“It is also a very good playground – this facility will have people coming from everywhere,” he said.
“It will have the advantage of footfall, but you will need bodies and we can’t spare that with our resources. Hopefully funding will lead to local people being employed.”
