Writes Ciaran Dineen
Calls have been made for the public toilet in the Owenabue Carpark, Carrigaline to be finally moved into the town’s Community Park, 15 months after it was originally reported. However it has now emerged that a newer, more modern facility is set to take its place.
At the second meeting of May for the Carrigaline Municipal District, Councillor Seamus McGrath (FF) asked officials if there was any update on when the toilet would finally be moved. Cllr McGrath noted that given the significant amount of activity taking place in the park, with lots of people availing of the skatepark and walking paths, that a public toilet was “glaringly missing” from the area, going on to state the important need for such a facility.
It’s not the first time that McGrath has raised the issue on the absence of a toilet from the park, having mentioned it in a motion in the Council Chambers in February 2019, 15 months ago. At the time the then Senior Executive Officer to the previous Carrigaline-Ballincollig District said that the pay-to-use unisex superloo would be relocated to the north east corner of the park and work would commence once service connections had been agreed.
Fast forward 15 months and the issue has not yet been resolved. However, the reason for the hold up according to Senior Executive Engineer, Madeline Healy, is that the council had been in the process of seeking a better and more “family friendly” facility as opposed to simply moving the current toilet in the Owenabue carpark.
Progress had been made in recent months on locating a suitable replacement but just as this had been done, complications arising from Covid-19 struck. As such the Council are now having to restart their operations, commencing from this week, suggesting that the move should be able to occur in the near future.
Despite the frustrations, Cllr McGrath was pleased to hear the update and welcomed the news. Speaking to The Carrigdhoun Newspaper he said, “I’ve been pursuing this issue for over two years and I’m pleased we are close to the actual provision of a public toilet at the Community Park and it will be an improvement on the existing toilet in the Owenabue Carpark. The Park is a great facility for the town and it is being increasingly used. A public toilet is essential and I’m pleased we’re nearly there”.
However, it is not yet known whether the toilet will be immediately open to the public given current restrictions, meaning that members of the public may just have to hold it in for a wee bit longer!