DELAY: Kildare County Council can't say when public park will be upgraded
The need for this first emerged four years ago
There have been calls to redevelop Monread Park in Naas.
A masterplan for the upgrading of the facility was mooted some four years ago.
However it is still unclear when this will happen.
This, says Kildare County Council, is because there are other projects being considered for this year’s work programme.
These are the public consultation process for the amenity lands at Sallins, the design of the Sallins amenity lands and the conservation plan for Oldtown Demesne, some of which will be eventually opened up to the public.
KCC official Simon Wallace said the scale of the projects to be delivered is increasing and some staff have to combine a large project list with “an ever increasing volume” of operational works.
He said the consequence of this is that operational works take precedence over capital projects because it is “reactive type work or requests.” And this makes it difficult to give accurate time frames for project delivery.
He said it is likely to be the end of the year before work can start on preparing a tender for consultants to develop a masterplan for the site in Monread “if members wish for that to be prioritised.”
He also said that this timeframe may have to be revised.
He said staff have to deal with similar demand for projects from all parts of the county.
“It is not possible to simultaneously deliver every project that each municipal district wants.”
Cllr Fintan Brett said that while there is money available for the projects, delays are occurring because of a shortage of staff.