Open drain system ‘death-trap for kids’

Open drain system ‘death-trap for kids’

By Maurice Garvey

AN open drainage system and mudpile beside a new Cherry Orchard estate, has angered residents with one woman labeling it a “death-trap for kids.”

According to Dublin City Council, the canal (Swale) and mudpile (Berm) are “internationally accepted best practice and sustainable methods of dealing with issues of drainage (Swale) and vehicular access (Berm).”

Marie May05 compressor

Residents Jackie Flood, Marie May and Jessie Rogers and kids at the drain

The Berm was installed to prevent burnt out cars at the site.

Meeting residents Marie May and Jackie Flood in the estate on Monday, the ladies told The Echo they are concerned for child safety.

 “Anything goes on here, we are never informed,” said Marie May, an Elmdale Crescent grandmother, and member of a local resident committee.

“My three-year-old grandson lost his hat into the water canal, I told him to stay out. If he fell into it, he would drown. It is unhygienic, full of waste, a death trap. I’m concerned about other children in the area.

Lots of kids live here in the old and the new homes.”

Fr Michael Murtagh, Cherry Orchard parish, was surprised to learn of the canal over the weekend, and contacted the council to express his concern.

Fr Michael said: “I am not an engineer, but from an un-trained eye, it seems very unsafe. It is blocked with rubbish so when it rains, the water rises, but it can’t be left the way it is. It seems it is connected to another pipe in the land beside it, but why can’t they not cover it up?”

The city council say an existing overgrown land drain running across the site was recently tidied up into a Swale when works were being carried out on the new 72 unit housing project.

“It is unfortunate that the photos were taken after two very recent storms (Ciara and Jorge) with excessive rainfall in close succession which have saturated the area, flooding the “Swale” (as it is designed to do), and saturating the “Berm”, which was only recently seeded, this will require re-seeding in order for the grass to root and grow,” said a city council spokesperson.

“There was an issue locally in relation to dumping, the burning out of cars on any open ground in the area, and a mound of earth or “Berm” was created to prevent vehicular access to the remainder of the site, which has been successful in keeping vehicles from accessing the area.”

Elmdale Park resident Jackie Flood says it is the little things that affect daily life, such as lack of a slip way.

“The nearest playground is over at the Orchard Centre. When I bring the kids there or to the creche, there is no slipway. I have to walk on the road with a buggy instead of walking on the muck with prams.”

The ladies said they were promised a playground during pre-construction meetings with the council, but this failed to materialise.

Asked about the playground, the city council said they are “in the process of appointing a consultant to design up a playground, but the exact location and size will need to be teased out and agreed with local residents prior to tendering the project for construction.”

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