LIMERICK City and County Council has been urged to undertake a feasibility study on a site it owns adjacent to the Dooradoyle Men’s Shed and whether it is a suitable location for a community centre.
Making the proposal at the March Metropolitan District meeting, Labour Party councillor Joe Leddin pointed out that a study carried out three years ago saw 80 per cent of those surveyed express the need for a community centre in the area.
“We know from those of us that are in the core, original city boundary area, the success of community centres there. They are hubs within the area in terms of socialising and engaging in all sorts of different activities, whether it’s educational, sporting, or otherwise,” Cllr Leddin commented.
The City West representative told the Council executive that Mungret GAA Club, on its own, can’t support the level of demand that they’re coming up against from various different groups.
“We have a culturally diverse population out there. There’s all sorts of demands for meeting spaces. We now have a site that’s Council-owned in Ballykeeffe, just up from the shopping centre, which currently houses the Men’s Shed, who are open to the site being developed,” he said.
“Raheen Dooradoyle is a significantly growing population, but you have a mix as well between young families moving into the area who need a space. But equally, you have older citizens and elderly people who may not necessarily want to go into a local bar but would go into a community centre to meet and socialise and to engage in various different activities.”
Cllr Maria Donoghue seconded Cllr Leddin’s motion and said that socialising and activities are being seriously curtailed in the built up area.
“If you think of Limerick City West, there’s a population of around 35,000. So you’re talking about somewhere bigger than Ennis or Charleville or any of these big towns where they have plenty of community facilities,” Cllr Donoghue suggested.
In response, the Council said it is looking at the best possible option for the Dooradoyle site.
