LABOUR councillor Joe Leddin has written to Limerick City and County Council (LCCC) Chief Executive Dr Pat Daly to identify land or an unused building located within the greater Raheen-Dooradoyle area for community facilities.
The City West representative says a recurring issue he hears from residents is the lack of a community hub for people of all ages to meet, socialise, and host events and sporting activities.
Community centres, Cllr Leddin says, are the “heartbeat of the local community”.
“While we are fortunate to have great sporting clubs in the wider Raheen-Dooradoyle area, it is not feasible nor practical for these clubs to be able to continually facilitate the growing needs of people and families.”
The council commissioned a feasibility report in 2022 to determine the need for a multi-purpose community centre. Over 80 per cent of those surveyed suggested the need for a centre that included a sports hall, café, and meeting rooms to accommodate various needs.
Cllr Leddin said that a potential site owned by the council, currently facilitating the Dooradoyle-Raheen Men’s Shed, offers the potential for a new design, build, and operate model of governance.
The site, he says, “could cater for the wider Dooradoyle and Raheen areas”.
“There are a range of grants available nationally to help build community facilities. With a projected 50 per cent increase in the population up to 2040, and as we continue to see more housing developed, the provision of a multi-purpose community centre must be provided for as essential infrastructure.”
