This article is from page 22 of the 2011-09-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 22 JPG
THERE have been calls for the bandstand at the Town Park in Shannon to be removed, after bricks were taken out of the centre piece.
Local town councillor Mike Fleming raised the issue at a meeting of the town council last week.
A motion was tabled by the Fine Gael councillor, who said that several bricks have been taken out of the bandstand. “They are piled up around it. I can’t see the guards having the time or wasting their time going up there,” he said.
He said that the centre piece is becoming a serious problem due to this and said that the bricks are being used to break windows of apartments and cars at Brú na Sionna.
Labour Councillor Tony McMahon supported the calls, saying, “It’s unsightly and dangerous. Either the bricks need to be put in place in such a way they can’t be easily removed or the whole thing needs to be changed to something else or moved altogeth- er out of it.”
“I don’t think anybody went in there with a pick axe. Probably a few loose bricks made way to others,” he said.
His party colleague, Cllr Greg Duff said, “The Town Park should be there for the use of the community. If the vandalism is ongoing, the guards are right beside it. Perhaps they should look at patrols.”
Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) said, “It’s a bad design. It’s a disgrace. It can’t be left in that condition. Damage will be caused. It’s getting un- sightly. It’s dreadful.”
In a written response to the meeting, it was stated that Clare County Council is in the process of taking the Town Park in charge.
“The provision of a bandstand for the park was a condition of planning associated with the Brú na Sionna development and therefore any changes to it will have to be consented to by the planing authority. Any vandalism and anti-social activity occurring in the Town Park should be reported to the gardaí,” stated the response.