Tallaght BMX track development nears the starting line

By Mary Dennehy

THE development of a BMX track in Tallaght has one final obstacle to overcome before construction work on the state-of-the-art facility begins, The Echo has learned.

After a bumpy ride, plans to build a BMX track beside the Tallaght Leisure Centre was given the green light by South Dublin County Council last summer – and now, after a year of consultation and planning, the project has one final obstacle to overcome before the construction trucks move in, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) report.

The Echo understands that a report for the EPA has been finalised, with the council awaiting a decision from the environmental agency.

When contacted by The Echo, the council said: “The council continues to work with the contractor on this proposal, and the screening for appropriate assessment has been completed by an independent assessor and the final report is expected.

“The council will meet again when with [DCBMX] club when a decision from the EPA is received.”

Club DC (Dublin City) BMX will run the facility on behalf of South Dublin County Council, which owns the land.

DCBMX, which has many club and committee members from Tallaght, was based in an indoor BMX track in Cherry Orchard until 2014 – when, despite an 18-month battle to keep it open, the facility was closed.

Despite being based out in Ballyfermot, many of the club’s members are from Tallaght and its surrounding areas, with Tallaght seven-year-old Carly Hayes, who lined out in the 2016 European BMX Championships in Italy earlier this month, a member of the growing club.

Tallaght South Sinn Féin councillor Cathal King, who has been working on the project for a number of years, told The Echo: “All of the soil reports have been done and the report finalised for the EPA and once we get a decision back, the contractors are ready to go.

“We have also drawn up a traffic management plan for trucks going in and out with soil, which will ensure the least impact on residents.”

He added: “This track will be a great asset for the community and we’re hoping that this championship-design facility will be completed by the end of the summer.

“The members of the club generally go abroad to Britain for most of their competitions and we’re hopeful that this track will allow for the hosting of competitions here in Tallaght too.”

For further details on DCBMX visit www.dcbmx.ie.