To: Wicklow Electoral Area County Councillors
No Pump Track in the Linear Park in Newtownmountkennedy
Don't allow the pump track to go ahead in the new linear park. Make sure it is located in a more suitable area, e.g. the proposed sports development area.
Why is this important?
The proposed location for the pump track is within a newly created green space for biodiversity and relaxation beside a number of new housing developments. 350 mature trees, 14,900 whips and 8,500m² of wildflower meadows have been planted in the linear park and species such as fox, badger, pine marten, hare and red kite have been spotted there. Equipped with biodiversity information boards and benches, it was designed to provide open multipurpose community green space and opportunies for quiet nature appreciation. Constructing an elevated asphalt pump track in this space would disturb the wildlife and radically change the nature of this space, potentially attracting noise and litter issues and opening the park for future development.
At the moment it is being used by local people as a quiet, safe space within a few minutes walk from their homes, where they can recharge, walk with their kids and dogs, have picnics, do yoga and relax on the benches.
Newtownmountkennedy does need this facility for its young population but it needs to be located in an area with passive surveillance and parking, and not in the middle of a haven for biodiversity and nature appreciation.
A better location would be beside the two existing sports pitches which the community hope to develop into a community sports ground. No new planting would have to be removed to put the pump track in this open space. It is envisaged that this area will be in active use all week by two football clubs, two schools, the sensory stars, scouts, youth groups and several other local community groups. It will also have car parking, changing rooms, toilets and space for spectators.
The sport development group do not want the pump track beside the sports pitch because they want to 'leave space for the development of other formal sports within the grounds' and don't want formal sports to be disturbed by kids carrying bikes. Instead, they want the pump track located away from this sports hub in a newly created nature-focused area with no natural surveillance and parking. Why should the young people and their pump track be pushed to the edge of the town in favour of 'formal' sports and compromising a newly developed multi-funtional green area?
In a country with a severe biodiversity loss and a mental health crisis, we need to stop percieving green, community spaces as 'available for development' and somehow less important than formal sports facilities.
At the moment it is being used by local people as a quiet, safe space within a few minutes walk from their homes, where they can recharge, walk with their kids and dogs, have picnics, do yoga and relax on the benches.
Newtownmountkennedy does need this facility for its young population but it needs to be located in an area with passive surveillance and parking, and not in the middle of a haven for biodiversity and nature appreciation.
A better location would be beside the two existing sports pitches which the community hope to develop into a community sports ground. No new planting would have to be removed to put the pump track in this open space. It is envisaged that this area will be in active use all week by two football clubs, two schools, the sensory stars, scouts, youth groups and several other local community groups. It will also have car parking, changing rooms, toilets and space for spectators.
The sport development group do not want the pump track beside the sports pitch because they want to 'leave space for the development of other formal sports within the grounds' and don't want formal sports to be disturbed by kids carrying bikes. Instead, they want the pump track located away from this sports hub in a newly created nature-focused area with no natural surveillance and parking. Why should the young people and their pump track be pushed to the edge of the town in favour of 'formal' sports and compromising a newly developed multi-funtional green area?
In a country with a severe biodiversity loss and a mental health crisis, we need to stop percieving green, community spaces as 'available for development' and somehow less important than formal sports facilities.
