Porterstown Park - crazy parking

daymobrew

I was in Porterstown Park yesterday morning (Sat 11 Feb) to do the parkrun. I jogged over (I live 1km away). Attendance at the parkrun is higher than normal these days because of Operation Transformation (133 finishers + 13 volunteers yesterday, normally around 70/10).

As I was leaving children were coming to the park for GAA and soccer games. The car park was full, the church car park was full, the paths outside the park were full of cars for a good 400m towards the hotel, a number parked on double yellow lines. If you have a buggy you have to walk on the road.

Even the clearway box inside the car park, to allow emergency vehicles access the pitches was blocked by 3 cars (one of them double parked).
The 4 disabled persons spaces and the clearway space between them were being used for short periods by people without the blue disabled persons card. One guy parked there had bad engine trouble. Karma's harsh!

On the road I was at the pedestrian crossing and a car drove up the path at me to pass another car!

When are Fingal going to open the new car park inside Porterstown Park?
Will people ever think of walking or cycling to Porterstown Park? Much of Carpenterstown is less than 2km from the place.

daymobrew

I submitted a request to open the new car park on fixyourstreet.ie. I included a number of the photos but they've been removed.

chris85

Where is the new car park in Porterstown Park?

Past30Now

Inside the existing car park on half of what was one of the soccer pitches.

Finglas Incubus

In the interim period, it would make sense for those of us that can walk or cycle to the park on Saturday mornings to do so. As an occasional 'parkrunner' I concur that parking is a shambles and has been compounded by the recent OT interest. Mix that up with the club training sessions and it quickly becomes unmanageable. and The overflow car park has been in development for some time so it would be interesting to know what the hold up is. Do we know how many extra spaces are being provided? I feel it may not facilitate the current demand on Saturday mornings when you consider the number of cars parks up and down the road.

daymobrew

Finglas Incubus wrote: »

In the interim period, it would make sense for those of us that can walk or cycle to the park on Saturday mornings to do so.

As you know the problem with common sense is that it's not very common.

I live 1km walk away. Two of my neighbours play for Castleknock Celtic soccer club. They drive (one parks in Fernleigh - there is probably no time saving). I know others that live similarly close and also drive.

Finglas Incubus wrote: »

Do we know how many extra spaces are being provided? I feel it may not facilitate the current demand on Saturday mornings when you consider the number of cars parks up and down the road.

Build it and more will come! You could find that those that currently park in Annfield/Fernleigh might decide to drive all the way to the new car park.

A regular dispensing of 80 euro parking tickets and penalty points for dangerous and illegal parking could cause people to reconsider their mode of transport. But that won't happen either.

beauf

The car park is woefully under sized for the facilities. Remember also that a lot of people for matches and church events are not from the area.

A secure bicycle rack would be great. At the moment there almost is nothing to lock a bike to.

Also some dog litter warden should regularly patrol it.

daymobrew

beauf wrote: »

A secure bicycle rack would be great. At the moment there almost is nothing to lock a bike to.

+1. There is nothing around the Castleknock Celtic clubhouse at all - the drain pipes are really wide, much wider than my u-lock.

For parkruns I lock it to the fencing near the start line; even that is awkward.

I've asked FCC many times to install good Sheffield Stands outside the library. They installed super crappy insecure ones nearby.

Pinch Flat

I was there for the first OT walk / run walk in January, we walked over (Riverwood - about a 15 minute walk) but found the crazy parking kind of ironic, given that it was an event to encourage people to exercise more and that we saw people from the area who had also driven.

I coach the Castleknock GAA team and this is a constant issue - dangerous situations are created on Saturdays by inconsiderate and irresponsible parking, which means the paths are blocked and kids have to use the road. I appreciate that some people come from outside the area, opposition etc., but the majority of people attending porterstown are from areas that can be walked /cycled handily enough. The car park extension is going to do nothing to resolve this situation - it's the "build and they'll come" school of thinking that will just encourage more people to come in their cars. The fact that they've taken over a pitch is also crazy given the numbers in the area and pressure on recreation space across the various sports.

beauf

A lot of people are making multiple stops, with different kids to different activities and they may need the car for that reason.

The simple fact is the car park is completely undersized for the numbers using that park. There must be 10+ pitches in that park, Soccer and GAA, then there's people running, walking, walking dogs etc.

Complete lack for foresight by the planners.

angryIreGamer

i thought Castleknock Gaa have their own pitches?

Pinch Flat

angryIreGamer wrote: »

i thought Castleknock Gaa have their own pitches?

They do, at Somerton. The Fingal pitches at Porterstown is used by the juveniles.

beauf

Theres also rugby, cricket, running and probably other clubs using the park too.

daymobrew

The car park was probably built when the demand was less than it is currently.

Some people would drive even if they lived across the road from the place. Planners cannot be blamed for this attitude.

This is the "driven" generation but not in a good way

It is so easy to get into the comfort of the car, especially when the weather isn't perfect (or is horrible). It takes effort by individuals to change that. And some selflessness.

ongarboy

daymobrew wrote: »

The car park was probably built when the demand was less than it is currently.

Some people would drive even if they lived across the road from the place. Planners cannot be blamed for this attitude.

This is the "driven" generation but not in a good way

It is so easy to get into the comfort of the car, especially when the weather isn't perfect (or is horrible). It takes effort by individuals to change that. And some selflessness.

I know numerous seemingly able bodied daily commuters that drive the 5-7 minute walk from Barnwell Hansfield to Hansfield station every day no matter how fine the day is....!!

Pinch Flat

ongarboy wrote: »

I know numerous seemingly able bodied daily commuters that drive the 5-7 minute walk from Barnwell Hansfield to Hansfield station every day no matter how fine the day is....!!

My neighbours in Riverwood drive to the coolmine train station - it's a 600 meter walk from my house. One of them commented that the parking is better since they introduced charging for parking. The irony of this was totally lost on her......

Seanie_H

The overflow car park is opened... Seems reasonably successful. About time I suppose.

I think they may be looking for trouble leaving it open midweek like it is now.

beauf

I'm a bit baffled why you've got to drive through a tiny car park thats jam packed to get to it. They should have opened a direct path into it. Visitors have no way of knowing its there.

Past30Now

Seanie_H wrote: »

The overflow car park is opened... Seems reasonably successful. About time I suppose.

I think they may be looking for trouble leaving it open midweek like it is now.

It's closed every evening by one of the four clubs using the facilities, i.e. C Celtic, CHFC, St Brigids Athletics and the Cricket Club. Its supposed to be closed around 9:30/10pm, which allows all of the training to be completed, and the car park to be emptied. There is supposed to be a sign going up announcing this, so that walkers don't park in it at 9pm.

It's a great addition to the park.

daymobrew

beauf wrote: »

I'm a bit baffled why you've got to drive through a tiny car park thats jam packed to get to it. They should have opened a direct path into it. Visitors have no way of knowing its there.

Ideally regulars will park in the overflow car park, thus leaving the original car park for visitors.

As to why not have a direct path, the pitch chosen for the car park was probably not as good as the one left in use.

beauf

I kinda meant open a new entrance.

Its a huge bottleneck. They really need to re think it. The new car park is a great start certainly.

Pinch Flat

Agree that the new car park is much needed, but the entrance in and out of it is a disaster - cars trying to get out of the new car park while cars are trying to get out of the spaces in the old one. Big queues there last Saturday at about midday trying to get out - I cycle / walk so give it a miss.

Probably should be one way in, one way out to try and address this.