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To: Richard Shakespeare, Chief Executive Dublin City Council

The Liberties needs a sports pitch NOT a big waste depot

Don't build a big waste depot behind St Catherine's Sports Centre, near the Guinness Storehouse.
Instead, build a big sports pitch for people living or working nearby.

Why is this important?

The Liberties, is home to the Guinness Storehouse in South Inner City Dublin. 50,000 local people have no access to playing team sports, like football. Many local boys and men go to prison from this area. 11 local primary schools have really small playgrounds so they can't play much sport. This means they might get unhealthy and overweight. John Lonergan, who used to be the boss of Mountjoy Prison has said that a lot of prisoners in Mountjoy have always come from the Liberties. He said it is because they don't have enough to do in the area, to keep them busy.

This is the last plot of derelict land in The Liberties, that can fit a big grass sports pitch for team games like Football, Hurling or Rugby.

The boss of Dublin City Council, Richard Shakespeare wants to build a big waste depot, but he needs to get the local Dublin City Councillors to go along with him. At the moment, the only use is for recreational, so he can't build a big waste depot without their help.

The land is really close to the Guinness Enterprise Centre and the Guinness Storehouse. A local pitch would help people working there, to do sport. 10 million euro has been invested on the Guinness Enterprise Centre, so that it can get bigger by 65%, making it a business superhub. The Guinness Storehouse is one of the best tourist places to go in Ireland. In 2023 1.5 million visitors from 165 countries. Visitor numbers are down from 2017 when they were 1.7 million. <https://www.thejournal.ie/guinness-storehouse-visitor-numbers-2-3775913-Jan2018/>.

The Chief Executive must give people living and working in the Liberties, the chance to play sport. He must act on the advice of Ex Mountjoy Prison Boss John Lonergan, and make the area near the Guinness Enterprise Centre and Guinness Storehouse better. The plans for the sports pitch are ready, and the land is zoned 'recreational'. We ask the Chief Executive to please build the sports pitch, not a big waste depot.

How it will be delivered

Deliver them in person to Dublin City Council Chief Executive, Richard Shakespeare.

The Liberties, Dublin, Ireland

Maps © Stamen; Data © OSM and contributors, ODbL

Updates

2018-12-06 22:51:01 +0000

Hi All,
Thank you so much for signing and sharing the petition! The campaign is starting to get media attention with 3 articles in the last few days. You can read them here. https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/suburb-cries-out-for-more-green-spaces-in-row-over-council-depot-s0h7d3gqm
https://www.fm104.ie/news/liberties-locals-fight-depot-plan/
https://www.dublininquirer.com/2018/12/05/residents-and-councillors-fight-for-different-visions-for-marrowbone-lane
Take care and remember to share.....we have until December 12th to get signatures.
Zoe

2018-11-26 11:00:08 +0000

500 signatures reached

2018-11-15 14:14:54 +0000

100 signatures reached

2018-11-13 16:47:46 +0000

50 signatures reached

2018-11-10 22:01:06 +0000

25 signatures reached

2018-11-10 17:03:44 +0000

10 signatures reached