Common areas ...

B.Rubble

In the Wood and generally loving it so far - been here a year and a half now.

However ... some of the local kids are begining to drive me nuts by playing football on the common area in between the houses EVERY night. Now I'm not at all against kids at play, but the area is just not set up for football as its way too small (the kids themselves aren't exactly nippers).

Basically the the grass is already messed up and the little darlings spend their time kicking the ball against my car and my houses window & front door.

Didn't mind at first but its now driving me potty as they are never not there!
I know this all sounds a bit Scrouge like but its just a matter of time before I have a ball through the window, not to mention seeing the money spent trying to make the common areas look well going down the drain.

Barney

mikedragon32

Hi... Welcome to the boards!

I can't say I've noticed the kids playing ball on the green, unless you mean in the second part of the Wood. We're in the first area.

What I have noticed (with almost tragic consequences) is small kids on rollerblades or bikes on the road, apparently unsupervised. I say tragic, because on more than one occasion they've gone past cars reversing onto the road (yes, I know drivers should keep checking their mirrors, but you can't look into all three at once) and also running out onto the road from between cars.

Sooner or later one of them is going to be seriously injured, if not killed.

I'm quite happy to see kids having fun and playing, it is an estate of young families after all, but parents should take responsibility and ensure that their kids have some road sense.

dubgirl

HI - completely agree that the children should have some road sense and I'm sure the majority of the children have had it drilled into them. Can't understand about the football thing though, if they don't play on the common areas where are they supposed to play? Maybe have a word and ask them to try and make sure the ball doesn't end up anywhere near the windows of your car or house. the children need somewhere to play and after all its their common area as well and their families pay the fees as well?

Plenty

Barney,

I have seen them as well. They are around 10 or 11 years old and in the middle (flat) part of the common area. They just kick the ball around and play 'goalies', that's probably when they hit your car and/or windows.

If they hit the car or windows again, just say something to them nicely (I know you're driven mad with them). That way they might get the idea and not call you a 'grump' (or words to that effect).

You know when you were younger, whatever mischief you might have got up to, you or one of your mates would always be singled out or caught and get into trouble. Well in the case, if the ball hits the car and one of the kids runs to get it. Come out to him and say it to him. If you give him the responsibility to ask the others to be careful, you'd be amazed at how they change their game, etc. If that doesn't work, then kick a**!

Hope this helps in some way.

Eoin

I would have thought that the massive green area as you drive into Charlesland would be a much better place for a kick around, then the greens immediately outside the houses?

B.Rubble

Just to clarify it is the second common area in the Wood I'm talking about.

Just to say again ... I'm not at all against the kids playing around the estate. God knows I did the same when I was their age.

But the houses (and cars!) in the Wood around the green area are way to close for this. Seems to me that there are loads of areas around when they could play out of the way of stuff they could damage.

Manny7

Hi Barney,

We're in the second part of the Wood, and I agree about those kids, they're annoying. I see now why adults used to get so mad at us in my younger days, I guess it's karma.

I don't know why they don't go to the big area in the middle, seems like a much better place to play.

mikedragon32

I'm not a parent myself, but I can't say I'd be overly impressed by my kids (if I had any), playing on the central green. Cars seem to use it as a bit of a drag strip from what I've seen.

How about a bit of fencing around the little greens? About 4ft high would cut out the majority of stray shots, unless they're really rubbish!

Eoin

mikedragon32 wrote:

I'm not a parent myself, but I can't say I'd be overly impressed by my kids (if I had any), playing on the central green. Cars seem to use it as a bit of a drag strip from what I've seen.

That's a good point actually

mikedragon32 wrote:

How about a bit of fencing around the little greens? About 4ft high would cut out the majority of stray shots, unless they're really rubbish!

Or give them a bowling ball to kick around instead, you can be fairly sure they won't be able to kick it too far!

loyatemu

similar stuff happening in the Grove, they've hit my car a couple of times.

they are just kids though and you can't blame them for wanting to play football - the greens are quite small but you can't put them there and expect kids not to use them. its also not their fault that there are so many cars parked around the greens.

a quiet word asking them to be more careful is probably the best strategy, and maybe ask them to use a lightweight ball.

Manny7

How about the rugby pitches, can anyone go up there and kick a ball around? Or if that's too far, how about the green space in front of the houses that face the Sugarloaf? There's much more room there (not that I want to pass them on to someone else's area) It seems weird that they play on this tiny little area, having to use the flower beds as part of the pitch, when there's loads of open green space around them.

loyatemu

Manny7 wrote:

How about the rugby pitches, can anyone go up there and kick a ball around?

i doubt it. not sure what the situation with the new pitches up by jackie skelly will be either. both are at least 10 minutes walk.

Or if that's too far, how about the green space in front of the houses that face the Sugarloaf? There's much more room there (not that I want to pass them on to someone else's area) It seems weird that they play on this tiny little area, having to use the flower beds as part of the pitch, when there's loads of open green space around them.

they play wherever is nearest I suppose

mikedragon32

The rugby pitches are private grounds, but I have seen older lads playing football at the end of the training pitch (that's the one on the far side of the main pitch as you are in the stand).

I would imagine if someone was to ask for permission, as a courtesy to the club, there would be no problem.

The Yipper

Don't want to point out the glaringly obvious....but just take a minute to revisit your own childhood.....
If some old b*stard (and I use the term lightly- we're all old in the eyes of an 11 yr old) came out of his house to give you a b*llocking when you were younger about playing football outside his house, you'd probably bear a grudge against him for the rest of your life.....and kids today are an awful lot more streetwise than we were at that age
They mightn't do anything now....but you really don't want to be on the wrong side of the little darlings when they hit 15-16, and decide to carve up your car/garden/dog/

As for the football against the car.....is it really gonna do that much damage??? If it does dent the bodywork, or break a house window then I'd go straight to the parents and get then to shoulder the costs.

Failing that, some anti-personnel mines might be a sound investment???:o

Suder

Is anyone aware of plans to make facilities available for Youth Clubs or the like? We have quite a young population at the mo' but I'd hate to think that in a few years we'll be complaining about nothing to do for our teens, not all of whom will be interested in or involved in Sports.

loyatemu

the community centre is going to be built just down the road (attached to the new swimming pool)

presumably it'll be available for youths clubs and other community groups.

neets

When is the community centre due to be built? is this where the (rather weathered) sign is at the roundabout. Looks as if it's been up for a while but not much has happened. Is there a funding problem?

Marcais

neets wrote:

When is the community centre due to be built? is this where the (rather weathered) sign is at the roundabout. Looks as if it's been up for a while but not much has happened. Is there a funding problem?

No problems, it's going ahead where you say, but I don't know when. With pool.

Charlie-Bravo

I'm certainly interested in the community centre being built. I don't want to have to pay a full year's membership at Jackie Skelly to use their pool only...not worth it at 700 blips a year! Maybe we should campaign for the community centre to be built sooner rather than later!? Parhaps start a new thread for this? Anyone with me on this one?!

neets

I'd nearly help build it myself! Had a small heart attack when I got the quote from Jackie Skellys for the 2 of us. A big difference to the €260 I'm paying for the ESB Sportsco membership in town!

Really want to start taking my little one swimming (he's only nine months) and Jackie Skellys is just too much on top of the hefty mortgage. It would be really great to have a Comunity Centre close by. Does anyone have any idea when it's supposed to be completed.

loyatemu

construction is supposed to start before the end of the year - as with anything council-related, believe it when you see it.

in the meantime there's a decent public pool in Wicklow town - 15 minutes drive.

neets

Brilliant. Is it suitable for little nippers? Do they have a kiddies pool there or is it just an adults pool? Oh, and whereabouts in Wicklow Town? So many questions!!!!

loyatemu

theres a toddler pool and an adults pool

as you're entering wicklow, go past Lidl and take the next left then quickly left again (its the road to the railway station - the pool is signposted as Coral leisure centre)

http://www.coralleisure.ie/wicklow/index.php

the one thing we found awkward bringing a baby in though was getting changed - you can't really sit the nipper on the floor while your getting dressed yourself (maybe you could bring a pushchair in).