‘Adult cider parties’ in children’s playground

KILRUSH Town Councillor Tom Prendeville has claimed that Cappa playground, which may benefit from a €140,000 revamp, often hosts “cider parties” featuring “30 and 40 year-olds up on top of swings”.

 

The Fianna Fáil town councillor made the allegation at last week’s town authority meeting during a discussion on whether to refurbish the playground at Cappa or incorporate the facility into the proposed sports complex to be developed on Cooraclare Road.

The meeting was addressed by Tara Flynn, Christina Murphy and Alan Howard of Kilrush Playground Group and they expressed the hope that with Leader funding and “possible funding” from Kilrush Town Council, the project will be completed in May 2013.

If the committee was granted Leader funding, that would cover 75% of the cost, although 5% had to come from the community, the meeting heard.

They said their proposed playground was aimed at catering for children aged 18 months to 16 years.
The written part of the presentation said the committee’s preferred site for the revamped playground was Cappa.

“While several sites have been proposed, the existing site proves ideal due to its current use as a playground, its high security features and the existing equipment being utilised to help reduce costs and maximise the playground potential,” the committee’s proposal read.

However, expanding on his comments in relation to anti-social behaviour at the current Cappa playground, Councillor Prendeville said most of the incidents happened during the summer months.

“Particularly during the summer time, I’ve seen adults swinging there at 12 or 1pm in the morning and it is used at times for underage drinking so there is a certain amount of anti-social behaviour,” he said.
A number of town councillors, including Councillor Prendeville, expressed support for the installation of a new playground as part of the proposed sports complex development on the Cooraclare Road.

“I was making the point that if they’re going to have this integrated facility opposite the community school, it’s an awful pity that the playground wasn’t integrated into that. Cappa is a little bit out of the way for the main population centres in Kilrush. So primarily what you’re saying is that the playground only exists for three months of the year during the summer,” he suggested.

However, at last week’s meeting Councillor Paul Moroney supported the location of a redeveloped playground in Cappa.

“I think Cappa, as it’s there, is the right place. People know it as the Cappa playground and they know it’s the Kilrush playground,” he said.

“I think there should be no argument over the site. Everyone knows where the playground is in Kilrush. It’s only a short walk from the town,” Councillor Liam O’Looney concurred.

Kilrush town clerk John Corry said that enhanced playground facilities are required in the town and that Cappa was the likeliest venue.

“I know it has been mentioned in the past that Cappa is a bit far out of town. We have looked at alternative sites but it has proven difficult to identify an alternative site. I know it was touched on that the playground could be part of the proposed development on the Cooraclare Road. It has gone to Part 8 planning without the playground on it so if we were to go down that road again there would have to be a further Part 8 process in order to consider that. You would also have the added complication that we are leasing that land already from the Department of Education and the ESB. There’s conditions in those lease agreements that we can’t sub-let so that rules out the option of leasing it to a third party,” he explained.

A number of councillors, including Councillor Ian Lynch, said that Kilrush had been ignored when it came to the provision of funding for playgrounds.

“Kilrush was pushed aside again. I was wicked annoyed over it. For some reason, other places got it and we didn’t,” Councillor Lynch said, with reference to a previous playground funding application.