Officers due to move into new Clonark home this Friday

Gardai in South Roscommon are expected to move into the newly revamped barracks development in Clonark this Friday, ending a long running saga stretching right back to 2009. The OPW confirmed to the Westmeath Independent yesterday (Tuesday) that the handover of the newly refurbished and redeveloped Clonark Garda Station, which will act as the main headquarters for policing the south of the county, happened on Monday last, November 28 and local officers hope to be in-situ and operational there by this Friday. Garda have been policing the South Roscommon region on a temporary basis from Knockcroghery for the last two years since the Clonark barracks project was approved coinciding with the change to garda boundaries. That alteration at the beginning of 2009 brought Roscommon and Longford into one division, responsibility for much of the south of the county and Ballinasloe then came under the bailiwick of Roscommon gardai. Planning permission was granted back in September 2009 for the new station facility at Clonark, involving the renewal and adaptation of the old station building, to provide up-to-date modern facilities for gardai. However, a number of delays followed and construction only began in November of last year. Initially, the barracks was to be ready for occupation before the end of 2010 however, that timeline was never reached. The OPW admitted the completion date was delayed slightly due to adverse weather last year and also because of the need to re-do some of the electrical wiring system. In more recent times, final completion was held up due to delays with ESB connection. Although later than expected, local Independent Cllr Jimmy Kenny welcomed the news of the imminent opening of the station this Friday. "It will be great for the area, it's a long time coming and a lot of people were wondering what was happening with it. This weekend will be a big one," he commented, adding however, that the only downside is that new station for the entire South Roscommon area puts the future of smaller stations like Knockcroghery, Taughmaconnell and Shannonbridge under threat in the years ahead. The newly extended and refurbished Clonark building will house a public reception, counter, interview room, general office, Sergeant's office, male and female locker rooms, storage and a garage.