Popular Tipperary skatepark could reopen by next summer after two year closure
The long-awaited reopening of Thurles Skatepark could happen by next summer, according to local officials.
At the September meeting of Thurles Municipal District, councillor Jim Ryan raised concerns that teenagers have been left without the facility, which has been closed for repairs for two years.
The Thurles Skatepark has been closed for the past two years due to the need for necessary repair works, after some children developed allergic reactions from using the equipment there.
At this month’s district meeting, Cllr Ryan said that a lot of teenagers in the area are missing the facility.
"It’s two years closed now, a lot of teenagers are missing out on it in the district,” Cllr Ryan said.
In response, Thurles district administrator Sharon Scully said that funding had been received for the project, and that a contractor will be chosen to carry out works shortly.
"We got funding under the Community Recognition Fund for that, so there’s a tender prepared, we have consulted with local groups who use the space on what their requirements are, so the tender will be signed off now by our procurement team and it will be advertised for a contractor to design and build,” Ms Scully said.
It is hoped that the skateboard park can reopen by next summer, the district engineer said.
"Our deadline for the overall project is next summer, so naturally we’re keen to get the procurement for a consultant and design and contractor to come on board as soon as possible so it’s expected they’ll be appointed this side of Christmas, and then overall, we expect the project to be an eight week project,” the engineer said.
"There’s a design phase to come before that [the start of works], so it’ll be next summer,” he said.
Ms Scully said that there is a deadline for the drawdown of the Community Recognition Funding, so the council are keen to get the project underway as soon as possible.
"The Community Recognition Funding has to be drawn down by June next year, so that’s what we’re aiming for,” she concluded.