THE lack of a footpath and street lights near a popular local sports grounds used by hundreds of children and adults is “a serious accident waiting to happen”, an Ennis councillor has warned.

Those attending events at Frank Healy Park, Ballaghboy, have to walk on a grass verge alongside a road if they want to get to a local shop, a meeting of Ennis Municipal District heard.

Councillor Mary Howard has seen children walking on the grass verge close to the road where cars were speeding by, saying, “it frightens me to see”.

While the Ennis Municipal District has said the proposal “has merit”, the local authority says it cannot be done as part of the annual works programme.

Land acquisition, construction of embankments and the diversion of large culverts would need to be completed to allow the footpath go ahead.

The municipal district office has said they will liaise with the council’s design office with a view to including the proposal as part of future transport planning for the town.

Councillor Howard told the meeting that there is no shop on site at the “very busy” local soccer club which hosts many games and tournaments.

“People using the facility have to walk down on the grass verge to the shop and it’s a very serious accident waiting to happen.”

She said that every week over 200 adults and children use the soccer grounds, adding this is a low estimate with sometimes that many attending in one day for certain events.

She urged that the council to look “seriously” at including the works this year or next, adding, “the footpath is absolutely needed”.

She said there are a number of blind spots and the sight lines in the area also “are not great”.

The councillor’s motion requested “under health and safety grounds” that Ennis Municipal District consider installing street lights and a footpath linking it with the shop/ garage to the west
or Ennis side.

Voicing his support for the motion, Councillor Pat Daly described Frank Healy Park as a “fabulous facility”.

He urged that the council apply to the government for funding to allow the works go ahead.

Councillor Paul Murphy also backed the proposal, though he acknowledged that there are obstacles in the way.

“Taking out culverts isn’t straight forward, it’s not just a matter of putting down a footpath.”

He added that the footpath could also be of benefit to Fr McNamara Park.

Responding to the motion, Barry Conway, A/Senior Executive Officer, stated, “Frank Healy Park is located approximately 1km east of the existing footpath network on the R469 Quin Road.

“To construct a footpath/cycle path over this distance would require land acquisition, construction of considerable embankments and the diversion of large culverts which form an integral part of the Fergus Drainage Network.

“While the proposal certainly has merit, the constraints involved mean that it is not a project that could be undertaken by the district as part of its annual works programme.”

“I suggest that this project would be considered as part of future transport planning for the town and the MD office will liaise with our colleagues in the design office in this regard.”

The councillor vowed to continue bringing up the need for the works to be carried out.

By Jessica Quinn