THE preferred location for the new Caherdavin Playground has been revealed. Fine Gael councillor Olivia O’Sullivan, who has been campaigning for the project since before being elected, revealed Limerick City and County Council have identified the location as the preferred option from a number of sites examined in the area.
The location is the green area in front of the Caherdavin Shopping Centre by the Derravaragh Road bus stop, just off the Ennis Road.
“The initial €100,000 for this project was GMA funding agreed by the councillors of Limerick City North who backed my playground proposal. I want to thank them for their support to get it off the ground. I have so far successfully secured €410,000 for the project with the additional monies coming from the Development Contribution Scheme,” Cllr O’Sullivan told the Limerick Post.
“One of my motivating reasons for entering politics was the lack of playground facilities for families in the Caherdavin and Ennis Road areas. Shelbourne Park Playground cannot be expected to serve all the locality of Mayorstone, Farranshone, Ballynanty, Kileely, and Thomondgate, plus everywhere from Woodview to Clancy Strand, Clonmacken, Clareview, and Condell Road to Coonagh, North Circular Road, and Westfields.
“It is crazy to think families are bringing children from these areas to Mungret to use a playground, but that is what is happening as Shelbourne Park is too busy to handle the number of children that need it,” she added.
Cllr O’Sullivan said she worked with the Council to identify all the green areas in the locality of Caherdavin to examine each for its suitability.
“This has been a long process, and each site was examined by the engineers and rated in terms of suitability, accessibility, parking, safety and security, feasibility, cost, and other factors.
“Now we move on to the next stage of designing a plan for it. What I can confirm at this point is that any plan we design will contain a fenced-in playground with opening and closing times so it is locked up at night, just like Shelbourne Park and other Council-managed playgrounds in the city.
“This has been a concern for residents when a playground is discussed for the area, but I want to reassure people that it will be secured.
“A new amenity such as this playground will be a huge asset to Caherdavin and the wider area. The central location means many families will be able to walk to it. This is hugely positive for the community and will be very positive too for Caherdavin Shopping Centre and the businesses located there,” she concluded.
