Call for ex-Athlone IPAS site to become recreation facility
A call has been made at the Athlone Moate Municipal District for land in Lissywollen, which was controversially used for a since-dismantled temporary IPAS centre, to be turned into a public open recreation facility for the enjoyment of the local community.
"Everyone in this room, and in fact everyone in this country, is aware of the land I'm talking about," said Cllr Aengus O'Rourke, who requested that it be an objective of the draft Athlone Town Development Plan to acquire the Lissywollen site from the Office of Public Works (OPW).
He suggested it should be earmarked for use as "a public open recreation facility to include playing pitches for all sporting codes".
Cllr O'Rourke referred to the "huge amount of residential development" planned for the wider Lissywollen area, and said many sporting clubs in Athlone were "in urgent need" of space to expand their facilities
"There won't be an IPAS centre in Lissywollen now, so we should turn into into an open recreation area that everyone in the community could use, even if they just wanted to kick a ball around with their friends," he said.
There was unanimous support for Cllr O'Rourke's motion from his council colleagues, with Cllr Frankie Keena saying the site in question consisted of eleven and a half acres which was in the hands of the OPW and Westmeath County Council.
"This land should be zoned for sport and recreation," said Cllr Keena, who added that the Municipal District should take a 99-year lease on the site.
"There is a huge need for land in Athlone to expand sporting facilities, and everyone seeks a healthy lifestyle, so I would strongly support this motion," he said.
Also expressing support was Cllr John Dolan, who said the move to create a public open recreation area at the Lissywollen site would be "a nice end to the whole saga of an IPAS centre," while Cllr Paul Hogan warned the council executive not to bring the draft Town Development Plan back before the members without rezoning the Lissywollen site.
"If that happens it will not be approved by us," he said, adding, "we will start the process ourselves."
Thanking his colleagues for supporting his motion, Cllr Aengus O'Rourke said he looked forward to when the Lissywollen site could be used "by the whole community" and also by sports clubs in Athlone.
"It is the bloody least the State can do, after all the worry, upset and anxiety caused to the people of Athlone, and particularly the people living in the Lissywollen area," he remarked.
The written response to Cllr O'Rourke's motion from the council executive pointed out that it was "not within the remit" of the planning authority to identify specific lands for acquisition by the local authority", as such matters fell outside the scope of the statutory planning process.
"The (town development) plan will identify the need for recreational facilities and establish policies supporting their provision, but... land acquisition is a separate matter," said the response from the local authority.