Wicklow running track faces safety fears amid upgrade delays

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Concerns have been raised at the state of the surface on the running track in Arklow.

Following the restoration of lights at the amenity late last year, the Arklow Municipal District then received the go-ahead for remedial works to the tune of €49,700.

Approved by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Gaeltacht, Sports and Media, the grant allocation, which is subject to the terms of the Sports Capital Programme, is being used to clean up the existing Seaview Avenue track surface, carry out drainage works and remove weeds.

Speaking during the district’s September monthly meeting, Cllr Warren O’Toole said the surface “is not in a good way, and it’s clearly not safe to run on.”

In response an Arklow MD spokesperson said that staff are at the mercy of contractor availability to get the works done.

"We understand and appreciate the inconvenience this is causing for people who want to use the facility. It is gut wrenching to receive negative feedback.”

Cllr Warren O’Toole said the delays are not good enough.

“A full resurfacing remains the ultimate goal and I won’t stop pushing until Arklow gets the amenities it deserves,” he said.

“The track is a vital piece of infrastructure for our community and one that’s raised with me time and time again, and I will continue to raise it at our monthly meetings.”

The Arklow MD has reaffirmed that, alongside their colleagues in Wicklow Sports Partnership, they will “continue to apply for additional funding as the funding streams become available”.

Calls have been made to expedite the track resurfacing and ultimately bring it up to a national standard, providing a key resource for athletes on both sides of the Wicklow-Wexford border.

Funding for such a project will require significant levels of capital, such as the funds available via Large Scale Sport Infrastructure Funding.