EAST WALL MATTERS – September 2021

RUSSELL AVENUE PLAYGROUND UDPATE

Dear Resident,

I write to share with you an update on the City Council’s proposed repairs to the playground in Russell Avenue following the appalling vandalism of it that took place last month.

Since being contacted by your neighbours at the end of August, I have been pursuing this matter with the Area Office, as I know have other local Councillors, including my colleague, Cllr. Christy Burke, for example. In sharing this update with you, I want to make you aware of the planned timeframe for the completion of the repairs, what works are set to take place and details of a wider plan being prepared by the Parks Department of Dublin City Council to enhance the play area but also the public realm along Russell Avenue.

Please do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or queries about the information detailed below by emailing me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com.

Best Wishes,

Ray

Ray McAdam

City Councillor – North Inner City

Fine Gael Leader – Dublin City Council

PLAYGROUND WORKS TO BE CARRIED OUT

As Chairman of the Dublin Central Area Committee of Dublin City Council, I can confirm that funding in the order of €95,000 has been allocated towards the repair of the playground on foot of the vandalism that took place earlier this summer. The nature of the works to take place, include:

• Full Resurface of all soft safety surfaces
• Replacement of peddle roundabout with new accessible ‘nest swing’
• Maintenance of all remaining equipment to include chain replacement, fixing/bolt replacement, replacement of missing safety caps etc. where required, Replacement of rope net.

I have been liaising with the Area Manager and the Public Domain Enforcement Officer in Dublin City Council to ensure that these repairs are concluded by the time of the Mid-Term Break over Halloween. I can now confirm that the works will take place, the week beginning October 18^th.

GREENING PLAN FOR RUSSELL AVENUE

The Parks Department of Dublin City Council in conjunction with the Government’s North-East Inner City Initiative have been working on plans to enhance and improve the open space surrounding the East Wall Recreation Centre on Russell Avenue. This follows on from work I have been doing with the City Council on foot of East Wallers repeatedly raising the lack of quality green spaces in the area. The ongoing pandemic has delayed the planned local consultation, that I and the Parks Department had planned to undertake, in order to gauge your views on how best to improve the public and recreational space on Russell Avenue.

However, I am now able to confirm that this informal public consultation will take place early in the New Year. Please be assured that I will circulate details of the ideas being prepared by the Parks Department and how you can have your say across the coming weeks.

In the mean-time, if you have any ideas or suggestions, please email me at RayMcAdam@gmail.com and I will pass them onto the Parks Department team working on this important initiative for East Wall.