There was disappointment for residents in Castlebar living close to a proposed new skate park for the county town, when elected councillors voted to support a Part 8 Planning yesterday, which gives the green light for the development to proceed.

A three member delegation from St Patrick’s Avenue in Castlebar addressed the monthly meeting of Castlebar Municipal District yesterday afternoon to outline their concerns about a skate park being located in close proximity to their homes and the potential for anti-social behavior that it may present.

Maura Lavelle who spoke on the residents behalf began by saying that they were not against the provision of a skate park in the Lough Lannagh area, but not at this particular location, close to homes. Residents’ concerns were that late at night, the new skate park will develop as a meeting place where anti social behavior not related to skate boarding will occur.

Two councillors Michael Kilcoyne and Blackie Gavin called for an amendment to the Part 8 planning yesterday, supporting the skate park development but at a different location, however, that amendment was rejected by the other 5 councillors, after council management explained that the government funding for the first phase of the skate park of approx 120,000 euro would be lost, if the plan, as designed at this location, was rejected by councillors.

Councillors than voted by a majority to support the Part 8 to allow the Skate Park to go ahead, at a location close to the old cemetery, behind St Patrick’s Avenue.

Geraldine Moran and Ann Murray were part of the St Patrick’s Avenue Residents delegation, immediately after the meeting I spoke to Ann, Maura and Geraldine for their reaction…