Porterstown Park - Athletics track

BlazingSaddler

Does anybody know when the athletics track will be laid in Porterstown Park? They seemed to be flying along and the pitch was laid and marked out but seems to have come to a standstill with the track

Codpeas

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058293000/porterstown-park-athletics-track

Last I heard was that the work to lay the track was "highly weather/temperature dependent" and that they hoped that it would happen in March/April but obviously not...

Flinty997

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120515865#Comment_120515865

That's what I heard. Hopefully they have the weather now.

Parking is a huge issue though, and the traffic it causes. Lot of people travel to events like matches, and such here. At st Catherines Park they've expanded the parking in a low impact way. Considering all the housing going into the area around Porterstown, it a shamble they never considered the parking demand it would create, in particular at Porterstown. Same with improving the facilities. They should consider expanding the park.

daymobrew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120661542#Comment_120661542

The running track was laid about 2 weeks ago. I wonder why the lanes haven't been marked.

MSB posted photos: https://www.facebook.com/msbathleticsclub/posts/pfbid0S7FzesdMzy1W11HNBohu8jU9cBAYDpSYnp4rqcZaEWhmBzGJhg5mKvL3t3hDo7LDl

Considering all the housing nearby those people could walk or cycle to Porterstown Park. A full size pitch was lost to create the overflow car park.

I live a 1km walk to the place. It's 1.5km by car. Some of neighbours drive.

Flinty997

No doubt there are people driving who could walk. But there a lot more than those within a 1km using that park. There can be a few matches on at the same time, while they are on another few teams are arriving for the next matches. People from all over Dublin.

Even the local clubs using it, and events pull people from a wide catchment all over D15.

It's a poorly designed car park one narrow entrance/exit, no flow at all.

Some more bicycle parking would be useful too.

daymobrew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120663965#Comment_120663965

I would extent the "able to walk/cycle" radius a good bit but I am biased. We've cycled to NAC (5km each way) to training.

If those within a reasonable radius did not drive it would take pressure off the small amount of parking, making it available to visiting teams. Furthermore, it would be nice if more people used the LCC car park which is open specifically for Porterstown Park overflow. Instead drivers park on the footpath and cycle track. And FCC Traffic Wardens do not do anything about it.

Yes, the narrow in/out slows movements. A second exit is probably not possible because the sight lines are already poor (especially those coming from Castleknock Hotel side).

As for bike parking, I bring mine pitchside. There are new ones between the clubhouse and new track.

Flinty997

I've never heard that about LCC. Where did they advertise that? Are there any signs to tell people visiting this?

The parking facilities are abysmal. A team coming from 40 mins away isn't going to cycle to it. I've been all over the city and county at matches and parks and Porterstown is one of the worst.

That they have to use LCC is an admission the parking is not adequate.

It's also compounded by all the commuting traffic they've channeled into the area. Both through poor traffic management and too much housing for the existing infrastructure. It will only get worse, more apartments and Kellystown will drive even more traffic into this same area, and area they already admit can't cope with it.

daymobrew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120664420#Comment_120664420

LCC parking is very poorly advertised. It's the last menu item on the website - it should be front and centre. Team managers should have been telling parents about it every week but my son's managers only mentioned it once ever.

I didn't suggest a 40 minute radius. Even 2km (20min walk) would help matters.

I was in Rathcoole recently. They have 3 full size pitches (same as Porterstown though it does not have GAA pitches). Their car park is about 50 spaces. They have someone at the gate limiting access to team managers. Everyone else is told to go elsewhere.

Do you think that they should they expand parking in Porterstown?

Flinty997

You're comparing a single sport/use private club to a public park with at least 5 different clubs/sports. Plus events, like runs, never mind people just walking a dog or going for a walk. It's vastly different levels of use.

I'm saying those clubs and events draw people from all over the county. This is not an issue about locals driving. It an issue of poor planning. You can't allow overdevelopment of a location, and overdevelopment of housing without leaving enough green space. Then wonder why parking and traffic is out of control. Its surrounded by one off development and its a green area. They should be buying up, adjoining spare land to extend the park. They could increase the parking area (and parking) in Kellystown. They could move the church car park to the other side of the church and join the existing church car park into porterstown park car park.

LCC used for parking might be limited arrangement for Celtic who knows. Basically they've told no one.

Should calm down over the summer anyway.

Flinty997

I see the overflow is open again.

BlazingSaddler

Many kids from Clonsilla (amongst other areas probably) playing for Castleknock GAA and Castleknock Celtic when they could be playing locally for Mochta’s / Westmanstown GAA or Peregrines etc. doesn’t help the parking situation either!!

Dr_Colossus

I cycle by this every day so called in yesterday evening for a gander, looks class in fairness but so disappointing to see high chain mail fencing all around it and locked gates. No means of access so I guess unless you're a member of an athletics club and go during their allotted spots, takes any impromptu user out of the equation.

Similar to the cycle track/velodrome type set up in Sundrive Park in Dublin 8, used to go to that occasionally and do laps of an evening until scumbags set plastic bollards on fire on the track and destroyed sections of the tarmac. After a lengthy repair, chain mail fencing was erected and no one could use the facilities unless an accredited member of a time trial club and go during organised meets.

Guess you can't have nice things in this country and they need to be kept behind lock and key for fear of scumbags and wanton vandalism.

Flinty997

Not sure if there's anyway around that.

daymobrew

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120681262#Comment_120681262

MSB posted photos 2 weeks ago and someone asked about access.

The reply: "All this detail is still being ironed out but it definitely won't be free to use at any time as it will be co-managed between MSB and Celtic FC and these clubs will have priority slots. When the clubs are not using it there will be a booking system open to all. Full details still being worked through."

daymobrew

The track/pitch is being officially opened tomorrow (Thursday 15 June) at 4pm.

ArmaniJeanss

I wonder could they incorporate it into the Saturday 5k parkrun such that the run starts and ends with a lap of the track. Might be a way of opening it for everyone to use once a week and would be a fairly unique parkrun feature in Ireland. Not sure if the position of the track would tie in with the existing parkrun course. Obviously parkrun is free so there could be no charge.

Treppen

I heard they put all the rabbits on the pill , there burrowing under the running track.

Soooo What's the lifespan of a bunny? There's your answer.

BlazingSaddler

I was talking to my wife about that only yesterday on a walk around the park. I’ve never seen a dead rabbit! If you just left them to it surely they’d be well……breeding like rabbits and would completely overrun the place! How do they control this?! seriously! Never seen so many since the track work started

Flinty997

Lots of foxes around too.

[CrimsonGhost]

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120681353#Comment_120681353

That's ridiculous. It's publicly funded, it has taken up a huge part of what was a publicly accessible park. To fence it off and block access to the general public like that and just give certain groups access is wrong.

Flinty997

Would it not get vandalised otherwise?

Larbre34

It would. The open track at Kilbogget Park, Cabinteely, was badly damaged several times by joyriders and arsonists.

An investment like that at Porterstown needs to be protected from the worst destructive gobshites of society, just as you would fence off Tennis courts or a BMX track.

Fox Tail

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120681336#Comment_120681336

The UK has pay as you go open access to plenty of running tracks.

But in ireland we let the scumbags rule. And we pay for them to exist to boot.

daymobrew

Have the access rules/procedures been developed yet? The construction took long enough so that would have been a good time to get on with coming up with them.

Flinty997

I doubt you'll hear unless you're a member of those clubs.

Qwerty27

I contacted the council as currnely ony teenagers who are agile enough to climb over the fence can use it!

"The new facility at Porterstown will be managed by local sports clubs on behalf of the Council as part of a management arrangement, this will include bookings / slot allocations. It is expected that the Recreational Hub will be open for the public over the coming weeks."

That reply is nearly 2 weeks old so looks like facility will not be used all summer🙄