This article is from page 5 of the 2005-09-13 edition of The Clare People. OCR mistakes are to be expected so download the original SWF or the rendered page 5 JPG
THERE was no playing politics with the Clare County Council Play Pol- cy when it came before the members of the council yesterday.
Supporting the policy, the council- lors present suggested that the play- ground plan could reduce a prevalent ‘“yob culture’ and prevent anti-social behaviour in the future.
The plan includes a long awaited and much welcomed Skateboard Park for the town of Ennis.
The county council plans to apply to the Department of the Environ- ment for funding for the Skateboard Park in the Lees Road Sports and Amenity Facility, in Ennis.
A representative group of parents of skateboarders must in the interim develop a safe solution as part of the application.
The play policy, which was pre- sented to the council by Cllr Pat Hayes (FF), also states funds of up to €2 million should be provided for playgrounds over the next four years.
Some €300,000 of the annual budget will go towards a playground in each of the electoral areas, while
the remaining €200,000 will ensure playgrounds for areas in need.
The new policy also proposes that in residential developments of more
than six houses, developers should be required to make provision for a hard surface play area and for active recreation.
This met with some concern from the County Manager, who said that the burden of this section of the poli- cy “might just be a little to high.”
Cllr Patricia McCarthy (Ind) was adamant however, that the funding should be found and the policy in its entirety, implemented. She said the council had shied away from such a policy for too long.
The Shannon councillor said that anti-social behaviour was getting worse. Early intervention with such facilities would help prevent a “yob culture”.
‘We have to go for it and hope we meet our aspirations,” she said.
Meanwhile, the council is to apply for funding through a department playground grant scheme.
Should this funding become avail- able the council considers Bally- vaughan and Kildysart play ground committees in a position to respond immediately to the funding. If these two communities are not in a position to draw down the possible funding, it will go to Lisdoonvarna, in the case of Ballyvaughan being unable to ac- cept, and Sixmilebridge, if Kildysart is not in a position to avail of it.