Ballyroan Community Centre
The Community Centre on Marian Road has for many years played a vital role in the social life of the community. It has been used by local active retired groups during the day, by Meals-on-Wheels for the preparation and distribution of meals, and at night it has been used by groups such as the Marian Bridge Club. Over the years this Community Centre has been the bedrock for a myriad of social and community activities. Now however the hall is due for a major refurbishment. The kitchen has already been stripped out and now the Meals-on-Wheels is being forced to operate, as a short term measure out of the local presbytery and other activities have also been severely discommoded.
As a nearby resident I am fully aware of the need for the Centre to be re
Ballyroan Community Centre
furbished and ready for full use again as soon as possible. I therefore asked the following question:
“That the Manager reports on why work has not started on the refurbishment of the Ballyroan community centre. The centre has now been emptied with the community users in temporary locations. Will the project be ready by September 09 as planned.”
REPORT:
The refurbishment of Ballyroan Community Centre and the construction of the Pastoral Centre was approved under Part 8 of the Planning and Development Regulations 2001.
Tenders were invited, with a final date for receipt of tenders being 5th February 2009. In advance of the commencement of construction work on the site, the meals on wheels service which operated from the Community Centre was moved off-site and clubs and groups which use the centre were also moved out to allow for the project work to proceed.
The Council is currently in the process of reviewing all Capital Projects including Ballyroan Community & Pastoral Centre Project in the context of the Council’s overall Capital Programme.
The capital programme is prepared on a multi annual rolling basis. The programme is broken into three categories:-
- Works/Projects under contract,
- Works/Projects committed but subject to funding
- Works/Projects planned but subject to funding.
Given the current economic conditions this Council is focused on ensuring that where the Council is in contract in 2009 that we are in a position to meet those contract payments. The value of works/projects under contract in 2009 is in excess of €311 million. A number of these contracts have rolled on from 2008and may continue through 2009 and 2010.
The capital programme is funded through a number of mechanisms:-
- Loans
- Government Grants
- Development Levies
- Disposals
Excluding aid from the exchequer this Council must raise in excess of €50 million to fund the above contracts from our own resources, namely development levies and proceeds from land disposals in order to meet our contractual obligations. Therefore the Council is only in a position to deliver on elements of the capital programme that are currently in contract.
The multi annual capital programme consists of a wide range of projects and programmes which have been identified as beneficial to the County and these will remain in the programme pending the identification of funding sources for their delivery. Obviously under the current financial climate it will be necessary to prioritise the projects as resources are identified and become available.
In the meanwhile, the inconvenience to the community in Ballyroan is very much regretted. The Council is examining ways that may help to alleviate these inconveniences in any way possible.
The refurbishment has stalled due to the current economic climate and lack of funding. I had a meeting with the County Manager, Joe Horan on April 6th to complain about the current completely unsatisfactory and unacceptable position in Ballyroan Community Centre. I was informed that the Manager won’t be in a position to make any decisions regarding the refurbishment until mid April when he will know for certain what his budget for the year will be.
I will continue to push the Council to provide facilities for the social and community associations that use the hall and Senator Alex White is also vigorously pursuing this issue. I will let you know as soon as I have an update.
