Car park trashed, community outraged

Ciara Galvin

THE community of Ballinrobe were angered last week when a public car park was destroyed by people using it as a set down area.
Up to five mobile homes were reported to have set down in the Parish Centre car park on Monday evening last. Tables were set up and music could be heard playing.
The public car park is off limits for long-stay parking, and the Gardaí were inundated with complaints by members of the public about the activities.
One community spokesperson told The Mayo News that the car park was in an ‘absolute state’ as a result of the ‘party’.
“[The mobile home operators] apparently told gardaí they would move on once they got a part for one of the vehicles,” he said.
However, when they did leave, they left a trail of destruction in their wake.
“The barrier to the car park was left open. It looked like people had emptied wheely bins of rubbish around. The Council had it cleaned first thing on Tuesday morning, fair play to them. It’s sad when things like this happen,” said the local spokesperson.
A local businessman said it is ‘horrendous that some people feel they can take up a whole car park, have children running around and bottles everywhere’.
He added: “The place was in an awful mess. I contacted the traffic warden to let him know about the vandalism to the car park...Why should tax payers and rate payers’ money go towards paying for that clean-up? It’s disgraceful.”
Another witness to the events said: ‘It was like a dustbin lorry had been tipped on the car park. They were only there a few hours. Apparently they were in the car parks beside Tesco in Westport and Tesco in Ballinrobe as well. It’s scandalous.”
Local Fianna Faíl councillor Damien Ryan said he was made aware of the situation at 5.15pm on Monday evening and said council engineers dealt with the matter as efficiently as they could.
“There was prompt action and reaction. It’s a public car park and not for overnight camping. I’m glad it was brought under control promptly,” said the councillor.
A strong garda presence was noted in the town on Monday evening, with the Rapid Response Unit attending a public order matter on Bowgate Street. Gardaí confirmed to The Mayo News that both matters were linked. A man has since appeared before Ballina District Court in relation to the public order matter.