LIMERICK Youth Service this week acknowledged mistakes in its failure to inform residents of Ballynanty of plans to locate a Northside Youth Space in the vicinity. The youth service intends to bring together three existing facilities in disparate locations on the northside into a state-of-the-art premises worth €1.8 million, and as first revealed in the Limerick Post.
Residents against the plans turned out at an information evening held in Ballynanty Hall on Tuesday evening to protest, fearing that the facility would contribute to anti-social behaviour and have a negative impact on local life.
“We completely empathise with the concerns of locals and their right to object to the project,” said LYS Director Catherine Kelly.
“But we have no doubt that many of those who turned up to state their objections would fully support it were they fully in the picture”.
She explained that while the information session was positive, it uncovered a degree of misinformation among members of the community.
“We have to put our hands up and say that if we were starting out again we would have held last night’s information session weeks earlier.
“We don’t expect to get everyone onside and we will continue to respect all opinions”.
Deputy Willie O’Dea attended and said residents were hoping for a question and answers session rather than the format provided, which consisted of information stands.
“The youth service made the mistake of being a long way down the road with plans before consulting with residents,” he told the Limerick Post.
“There are a lot of middle- aged and elderly people living in the area and their main concerns are that their allotments and green space will be taken over, that it will drive anti-social behaviour to the area and be obtrusive.
“The facility is planned for the middle of a residential area”.
However, Ms Kelly stated that research has shown instances of anti-social behaviour and vandalism decrease significantly when young people have the advantage of a youth centre in their facilities.
The building will bring together the Northside Youth Cafe, an outreach project, the Ballynanty Garda Youth Diversion Project, Moyross Family Support Project and Ballynanty Youth Club.
