Plans for three playspaces at Dodder Park get green light
By Aideen O'Flaherty
PLANS for three playspaces in Dodder Valley Park were passed at Monday’s monthly meeting of South Dublin County Council, including contentious plans for a playspace and play trail at the Cherryfield end of the park in Knocklyon, while an amendment was made in relation to sewage overspill in the park,
As previously reported in The Echo, the plans for the development of a playspace in Cherryfield were met with objections by a number of local dog walkers in the area, who use the space where the playspace is due to be located to walk their dogs off their leashes.
One of the sites for the playspaces in Cherryfield
South Dublin County Council plans to introduce a total of three playgrounds to Dodder Valley Park, with playground A being located at the Old Bawn Road side of the park, playground B is to be located at the Firhouse Road opposite The Speaker Connolly, while playground C is to be in Cherryfield.
Provision for a play trail that will run through the park alongside the park’s existing footpaths, linking all three of the play spaces, was also included in the local authority’s plans.
The council received 176 submissions from the public when the plans went to the Part 8 public consultation stage, where people voiced concerns about the impact the plans would have on dogs and local wildlife, while others welcomed the plans as they saw a need for the playspaces.
Alan Edge, an Independent councillor for Firhouse-Bohernabreena, said: “I want to acknowledge the enormous debt of gratitude owed by the community and this council to the groups of volunteers such as the Cherryfield Dog Walkers, Dodder Action, the Litter Mugs and Tallaght Community Council, for their selfless and tireless efforts to maintain Dodder Valley Park.
“It is to be hoped that the special role played by these groups will continue to be recognised and that all park users can continue to enjoy this fantastic amenity together.”
There have also been ongoing issues with sewage overspill in a section of Dodder Valley Park, causing Cllr Edge to write to Irish Water, along with several of his colleagues, asking for an immediate solution, however he said the response he received from Irish Water was “unsatisfactory”.
An amendment by Cllr Edge was passed during the council meeting, stating that the council will not begin work on the section of the play trail between Mount Carmel and Cherryfield unless and until Irish Water have implemented a permanent solution to the ongoing sewage spillage problem in the area.
