Running track charges under consideration

ENNIS Town Council has proposed revising the scale of charges at the Lees Road sports facility, which would see any club using the cross-country track facing a charge of €40 per hour.
In the draft bylaws relating to services at the Lees Road facility published earlier this year, which went on public consultation in September, the town council made a proposal that it intends to charge teams and individuals for use of the cross-country running track at the facility.
Charges already apply for teams using AstroTurf facilities, playing pitches, dressing rooms and the recently developed synthetic running track. But the use of the cross-country track had been free for both teams and individuals until now.
Under the proposals, clubs would be charged €40 per hour, individuals will be charged €2 per hour, while a daily rate of €200 would apply in the case of large events using the cross-country track.
The draft bylaws will be up for consideration by Ennis town councillors at the monthly town council meeting next Monday.
Ennis town clerk, Eddie Power explained the council invested significantly in facilities at the Lees Road facility in recent times.
“Part of that investment involved the upgrading of the cross-country running tracks, which was done at the same time as we made improvements to the car park.
“Subsequent to those improvements, we reviewed the scale of charges at the facility and this was the proposal which we made in the draft bylaws. We do not feel that the proposed charges are excessive,” he added.
He further commented that no submissions in relation to the proposed revised scale of charges were received by the town council during the period of public consultation.
Ahead of Monday’s town council meeting, Councillor Johnny Flynn has submitted a notice of motion for consideration recommending that there be no change to the current non-charging for use of the open cross-country track at the Lees Road sports facility for reasons including fairness, inability to police a charge and accessibility to all.