Achill playground could be in jeopardy – McNamara

EXTRA MONEY NEEDED Achill based councillor, Paul McNamara.

Edwin McGreal

A playground planned for Achill Sound could be in jeopardy if Mayo County Council do not provide funding to finish it.
That’s according to local councillor Paul McNamara who was also critical of the council stopping work at a planned car park adjacent to the playground site.
The car-park and playground are due to be located across the road from the church in Achill Sound. Last year the playground received €50,000 from Minister Michael Ring’s Department of Rural and Community Development while eight weeks ago Cllr McNamara himself allocated €10,000 from his General Maintenance Allocation (GMA) for work on the car-park.
However, work on the car-park has stalled while McNamara said there are fears for the playground. The estimated cost for the playground is €82,000, meaning there is a shortfall of €32,000.
“If the extra money needed for the shortfall for the playground, €32,000, is not found, the project will be in jeopardy as the €50,000 funding already in place could be lost,” Cllr McNamara told The Mayo News.
“There was a playground in Achill Sound 20 years ago but it was removed when St FionnΡn’s Nursing Home was built and has never been replaced on any other site. There is €50,000 allocated to it. Mayo County Council should come up with the rest of it.
“If Mayo County Council is serious about Achill Sound, they will step up to the mark. There is not a lot of funding needed to finish the project,” he added.
He was also very critical at work stalling on the car park.
“It is a holy disgrace that it has been left the way it is. There was First Holy Communion in the church in the Sound on Saturday and there was total congestion with cars parking on the road, like has been the case for the longest time. Cars have nowhere to park but along the road. The council should have the car park finished by now. I’m calling on Mayo County Council to provide the rest of the funding to finish off the whole area.
“The car park was started eight weeks ago but was left idle the last number of weeks. It is a 20 metre square car park, it would not take a lot of finishing. Now, the way it has been left, alongside the main road through the island, is terrible, it is a total eyesore. The council came, did a bit and then left.”