Vacant Imaginosity building considered for new community centre in Sandyford
A councillor is calling for the reuse of the Imaginosity building – a vacant children’s museum in Sandyford – into a new community centre for people moving into new apartments in the area.
“There is a dire need for a community centre and library in Sandyford, and we have the former Imaginosity building sitting empty since March 2020,” said Green Party councillor for Glencullen-Sandyford.
The councillor who has been campaigning for the space since 2024 raised a motion at a recent Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown county council (DLR) meeting asking for the chief executive to acquire an empty building in Sandyford.
“Things have changed since I first submitted the motion – the management are working to get a vacant community building that is ready for some sort of intervention by the council,” said cllr O’Connor.
“I have not specified which building in the motion but I’m just looking for a strong commitment from the chief executive to find it in the business district since there’s already one in the far end of Sandyford.”
Cllr O’Connor said such indoor and outdoor facilities were important for the rising population in the area.
“This is really necessary for the many thousands of homes that have been built and the future thousands of homes that will be built,” he said.
"The council has recently proposed more housing to be built in Sandyford business district which I'm fully supportive of, but we can't on the one hand allow more housing without providing facilities that help build community.
“This is particularly important given so many people living in apartments in the area – this purchase will be important for all residents and workers here and in the Balally areas.”
Supporting the motion, Fine Gael councillor Barry Saul said that an area committee for DLR had already reccommended using the Imaginosity building.
“We’ve let the people of Sandyford down because this was supposed to be delivered 15 years ago – there’s been a lot of development, but it’s taken us too long to deliver,” said Cllr Saul.
After the motion was supported by other councillors, cllr O’Connor said he was satisfied with the chief executive’s response.
“I'm delighted that the designs are being finalised for the Sandyford civic park at the corner of Carmanhall Road and Corrig Road and I look forward to supporting that project also,” he said.
“But we do need indoor facilities that allow for community activities in all seasons and weathers. Whether it's homework clubs, parent and baby classes, active retirement groups or any other community activity.”