Some updates from the April meeting of Passage West Town Council

Signalisation of the Shannonpark Roundabout

The County Manager still has not decided whether to take the signalisation of the Shannonpark roundabout to full Council.  The Area Committee voted against the proposal to signalise the roundabout.  If the Manager does proceed to take it to full Council, it will be an almost unprecedented step that he should step over the opinions of the elected councillors in the area.

Passage West – Carrigaline Greenway

It is still hoped that the Greenway will go to Part 8 planning.  This will give the public opportunity to comment on its extension from Passage West through Monkstown, Raffeen and up to the N28.  The SECAD funding which was hoped to advance the project has not been secured.  Funding is now being sought from national cyclepaths funding.

Lower Harbour Sewerage Scheme

The consultants for the Lower Harbour Sewerage Scheme, Nicholas Dwyer, have committed to a series of public meetings prior to advancing for planning permission for the various pumping stations associated with the scheme.  The public meeting for Passage West/Glenbrook/Monkstown will be held in Passage West.  The date and venue is yet to be confirmed.

Public lighting at Buncoille

The Town Council is going to fund the erection of a public light at Buncoille.  The light will be double headed, one facing towards Hayes Boreen and the other facing the R610.  It will be mounted on an existing pole in the grass patch in front of the lime kiln.

A light at this location has been awaited a long time.  Unfortunately the cost of funding street lighting from Buncoille to Murph’s Pub is simply beyond that which the Town Council can achieve.  But they are pleased to at least help residents and safety by providing this light at Buncoille.

Future of Town Hall

The benefits of the Town Hall are well recognised.  Its size makes it ideal for a meeting room for smaller groups.  When the Town Council is abolished at the end of May, the building will revert to the ownership of Cork County Council.

The Town Council regrets seeing this meeting room lost to the people of the town.  So for the present, it is planned that a lease arrangement will be made between the County Council and the Tidy Towns group such that the Tidy Towns group will hold the key for the Town Hall.  Although the County Council will insure and maintain it, the Tidy Towns will pay for electricity and heating and an annual rent for the lease.  This will facilitate the availability of the Town Hall for all smaller groups in the town wishing to use it for meetings.

Other points of note

• The Town Council will arrange the plastering and painting on the walls of the Town Hall car park and the library car park.  They are in very poor condition at present.
• The Town Council gave permission to the Tidy Towns group to put water butts on the downpipes of the Town Hall.
• There will be a community clean up day on 23^rd April to prepare the route of the Road Race for the Race on the 25^th April.  The clean up will be held at 7pm and everybody is asked to give what time they can.
•  A majority of the members of the Town Council agreed to write to the Department of Agriculture, Food & the Marine in support of the Foreshore Licence application by Monkstown Bay Marina Ltd. for the 285 berth marina to which planning permission was granted by An Bord Pleanala in 2010.
• At present Passage West/Monkstown is twinned with Chasseneuil du Poitou in the Vienne region of western France.  There is a concern that the twinning may die when the Town Council is abolished.  Should anybody be interested in promoting the twinning of our towns into the future, please contact any member of the Town Council or the Town Clerk at niall.okeeffe(@)corkcoco.ie

The proposed MUGA/table tennis for the Marmullane Tennis Club site is waiting for Sports Capital funding.  It is presumed that a decision will not issue from the Department of Transport until the end of May.

The Painting Scheme will be finishing up early this year.  This may be one of the reasons that the number of applicants to the scheme is very much lower than it was last year.  If anyone is interested in applying for the scheme, please contact any member of the Town Council or the Town Clerk at niall.okeeffe(@)corkcoco.ie