Funding of €80,000 for Monksland playground project

By David Flynn

Roscommon County Council's Athlone Municipal District, with support from Monksland Town Team, has been successful in an application for €80,000 in funding towards the Monksland Recreational and Playground Permeability Project.

The members of the municipal district were told the good news about the funding, received through the Community Recognition Fund, at their July meeting.

The recently completed Monksland park includes a playground and skatepark, and those and other Monksland facilities are now set to be enhanced by the proposed upgrade of footpaths to three-metre-wide shared path through Monksland Community Park, and the provision of a pedal park.

The meeting heard the details of the project from Susan Loughnane, Senior Executive Engineer, who said that it was hoped these additional works would get underway this year.

"It's going to be a fine job when it’s completed," said Cathaoirleach, Cllr Domnick Connolly.

Cllr Laurence Fallon said this funding was the first of its kind to come to Monksland. It "will make a difference for an area that needs it," said Cllr Fallon.

“It’s great to see more funding coming for community projects in Monksland, and I'd like to thank everyone for their work,” added Cllr Emer Kelly, Independent.

"I love the idea of the proposed pedal parks, which could be for adults as well as for children," said Fine Gael’s Cllr Valerie Duffy.

Cllr. Tony Ward, in welcoming the funding, said Monksland was "a new town, and the fastest-growing town" in county Roscommon.

"I very much welcome the €80,000 here. I'd like to see more land becoming available for sports parks, but it’s going in the right direction," said the Independent councillor.