One of the priorities I spoke about in the local elections was to open the old pitch and putt course in Lansdowne Valley as a extension of the existing park. I’ve been working on this since I was elected, and I’m glad to say I’ve been making progress.
The old pitch and putt course is owned by the council. It is not zoned for building on, it must be kept as green space. But it has been locked away for years. There are lots of people living nearby who can’t walk as far as Brickfields or the Blackhorse entrance to Lansdowne Valley to use a park. And while the gates are closed, that hasn’t stopped some people from climbing in and starting fires or engaging in other anti-social behaviour.
The Parks department of the council have agreed to open the land as a park, and connect it to the existing park. That means you will be able to walk or cycle from Walkinstown village through to Inchicore. A lot more people will be able to use the park, which will make it safer – the current park ends in a dead-end a long way from the entrance, which means a lot of people don’t use it as much as they’d like to.
The Active Travel team in Dublin City Council are working on the design for the greenway through the park. When that is finalised, they will work with the Parks department to set an opening date. I’m hoping it will be in 2025, or at least very close to that.
In the meantime, I’m working with local environmental groups on producing a survey of the wildlife in the park. Because there have been so few people in that area, many birds and animals have made it their home. We’ll be aiming to keep as much space as possible for biodiversity, so the park will be a place where people can get in touch with nature.