One Athlone playground set to open

A new playground in Coosan Point will be opened to the public in just over two weeks" time, but a similar facility on the west side of Athlone has had to be closed due to an act of vandalism. The College Park playground in Athlone, near the Shamrock Lodge Hotel, was provided as a valuable resource and outlet for local children. But one night a number of weeks ago, as the children who used the park were tucked away in bed, vandals entered the playground and set fire to its rubber safety mats. The mats were a necessary safety aid and Athlone Town Council confirmed this week that their destruction has resulted in the closure of the playground until they can be replaced. 'This is a health and safety issue and we have been forced to close the playground because of the vandalism,' Town Clerk John Walsh told the Westmeath Independent. Local councillor Kieran Molloy described the actions which resulted in the closure of the facility as senseless. 'I think it"s sad,' said Cllr Molloy. 'I can"t understand it when something that"s provided for free and for the benefit of children is destroyed. It"s not always people from the area who are carrying out these acts and I would encourage people in the community to keep an eye out and report any acts of vandalism that they see.' While the gates at the College Park playground are locked for the time being, those at the Coosan Point playground are about to be opened for the first time. The playground which was constructed last month will be officially opened on March 19. It was described by Councillor Kevin "Boxer" Moran as a fantastic resource which forms part of an overall upgrading of facilities at Coosan Point. 'This has been on the agenda since last year but it"s great news that the work on it has now been completed. It"s a €100,000 investment in the area and they"ve done a state-of-the-art job on it. 'I know it"s very much welcomed by people in the area but it"s not just for local residents, it"s for the people of Athlone and Westmeath and for visitors to Coosan Point in general.' Cllr Moran said he"s hopeful that further developments for Coosan Point will be forthcoming, such as replacing the existing toilets, extending the marina to accommodate 4-5 additional boats, and providing a designated area at the North Shore of Coosan Point for jet ski users. In addition, he said that talks have taken place with Gerry Sheridan of Westmeath County Council"s water safety division and that safety bollards which designate the proper swimming area for children at Coosan Point are to be reinstated in advance of the summer months. The Coosan Point playground is due to be opened to the public on Thursday, March 19.