Leaked location of Kerry’s new teenage hangout spot prompts backlash
The KerrymanKerry councillors have condemned the ‘repeated’ leaking of council projects as the divulged location of a new teen hangout has prompted public backlash.
Councillor Brendan Cronin slammed Kerry County Council’s handling of the scheme, warning of a ‘major backlash’.
In June, €50,000 was announced for the development of a teen hangout space in Killarney from the Department of Children, with Disability and Equality, and Kerry County Council agreeing to fund the remaining €50,000.
The project includes an outdoor ‘hangout’ shelter, sheltered seating area, integrated Bluetooth speakers, outdoor exercise units, Boxup outdoor locker and bike racks.
The plan was due to proceed to the next planning stage in a matter of weeks but last month the proposed location was leaked. Public outcry followed, with many nearby complaining to elected members about the unsuitability of the location on Park Road, in the layby opposite the entrance to Ardshanavooly estate.
“I knew nothing high up or low down in the weeks before,” said Cllr Cronin in a Killarney Municipal District (MD) meeting, “till the news ‘filtered’ out from our briefing”,
He condemned the project as “badly handled, badly done and ill-prepared” and warned of a “major backlash”.
Elected members were unanimous in criticising the council for not involving them in discussions regarding the scheme’s location.
Since word ‘filtered’ out, councillors had received numerous phone calls from residents alarmed at the chosen land. Councillor Marie Moloney said she was ‘blindsided’ by the news and said the public “were up in arms” over the announcement.
Members discussed the issue of potential anti-social behaviour around the site, in general agreement that the premises would need to be locked to prevent disruption and garda call-outs.
“It has to be the right place, and it has to be the right setup…take a step back and do a bit more work is what I’d advise the council,” said Councillor Niall O’Callaghan.
While most members thought the premature release of the location to the media had been damaging, Cllr Martin Grady, who welcomed the news then, suggested it was good, and would expedite the planning process.
He claimed the council had confirmed to him the location was ready for public release, despite other councillors asserting that it hadn’t.
Councillor Maura Healy-Rae accused Cllr Grady of trying to “spin and twist” the story, while Cllr Cronin said he was trying to cover himself.
“This has been happening repeatedly since the election,” said Cllr Cronin, “you’ll have a private meeting…then the next thing you find out is what was said in that meeting in the paper”.
“More than likely it’s already gone with that wonderful pigeon that carries everything from inside here,” he said.
He exhorted the MD to have “no one racing off and doing the great person” and to have a public meeting so everyone “knows where they stand” and so they “stop doing somersaults all over the place”.
The final design will ensure that teenagers with additional needs will be able to access it, including wheelchair accessibility. Young people were also consulted during the proposal stage for the hangout when funding was considered.