Funding for wardens at Letterkenny Town Park hits a stumbling block
Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh had hoped the Community Safety Fund, which uses cash seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau and An Garda Síochána, could help address ongoing calls for wardens in the park
A bid to fund park wardens for Letterkenny Town Park from the proceeds of crime has hit a stumbling block for now.
Councillor Jimmy Kavanagh had hoped the Community Safety Fund, which uses cash seized by the Criminal Assets Bureau and An Garda Síochána, could help address ongoing calls for wardens in the park.
Cllr Kavanagh raised the issue at Tuesday’s Letterkenny-Milford Municipal District meeting, where he asked Donegal County Council to partner with Cairde le Cheile on an application to the fund.
He said he had thought it was “an ideal opportunity” to address an issue he has been raising around wardens for the town park.
However, councillors were told the fund is not suitable for the proposal at present. The fund is designed for initiatives or short to medium-term projects limited to two years.Council officials met with Cáirde le Cheile on Thursday, May 7, to discuss a possible application, but it was agreed that an application would be premature at this stage because the current fund criteria are focused on preventative and general community safety measures.
The council said there will be further engagement through the Donegal Local Community Safety Action Plan, and next year’s Community Safety Fund may be reviewed in a way that could better suit proposals for the area.
Cllr Kavanagh accepted that his proposal was “a non-runner” for now.
He said he hoped that the scope of the fund would open further in the years to come.
“With the council having Cairde le Cheile in the park, the potential is there to put a good project together,” he said.
Cllr Kavanagh said Cairde le Cheile, which has a cafe and community space, is providing important facilities that benefit the town park and have significantly increased footfall in the area.
He added that the Changing Places toilet facility at the Vestry “opens the park for people that might not otherwise be able to use it”.
Cllr Kavanagh suggested that even short-term funding for a couple of years could allow a park warden system to be tested, with the hope that costs could be shared on an ongoing basis if it proved successful.
Cllr Gerry McMonagle said it was unfortunate that the grant doesn’t stretch to the employment of park wardens yet.
“Thankfully, the problems in the park are not too burdensome, but there are enough of them that we could do with a park warden,” he said.