Residents in the dark over lighting

A PUBLIC lighting project in Aidan Park actually made the situation there worse, the April meeting of Shannon Town Council heard. While Councillor Gerry Flynn said the residents of Finian Park were lucky their estate wasn’t included, as originally intended.

Councillor Flynn put forward a motion asking that the situation in Aidan Park be looked at, as residents had complained that lights were removed, creating a new area of darkness.

In a written response, senior executive engineer Eugene O’Shea stated, “The area office will request that the lighting designer examine the area in question during hours of darkness in order to ascertain what improvements, if any, can be made. The original design and tender for the upgrading of public lighting was for Aidan and Finian Park but due to budgetary constraints, Finian Park was deleted from the contract. If funding becomes available, this work in Finian Park will be undertaken.”

Responding, Councillor Flynn said if there was an examination done previously, it must have been done during daylight. He also said that the residents of Finian might be glad not to be included now “because there are a lot more black spots in Aidan Park than there were before”.

Councillor Tony McMahon backed the motion saying, “A lot of the planning and design appears to have been done in the dark because logic wasn’t applied.”

He said that in Aidan Park “residents are left in the dark and it’s not safe or suitable or what they’re entitled to”.

Councillor Flynn concluded by saying there should be some consultation with residents, who can provide information on where the real problems are.