[vc_row][vc_column width=”2/3″][vc_column_text]Local skateboarders are in the dark over why the lights at their skatepark remain turned off.
Opened in 2007, Lucan Skatepark in Griffeen Valley Park is a much used and very popular local amenity.
Skateboarders come from all parts of the city to pursue their passion but the arrival of the shorter winter evenings is now presenting a problem.
Skateboarder Anthony Thornberry told Dublin Gazette the lights for the skatepark have been off for almost two years and nobody will tell him why.
He said: “At the moment we can’t use the park in the evenings because we can’t turn the lights on.
“The lights are controlled from Lucan Leisure.
“One day in January 2017 we went into the centre and asked them to turn on the lights and they just refused.
“I contacted the council around that time and they said an audit was being carried out on the centre and there was at “electric issue”.
“I sent a few more emails which went unanswered then thought I’d leave it until September/October when the evenings got shorter.
“Last autumn I got on to Dave Fennell who is a park attendant at the council.
“He told me it was a ‘complex issue’ but once again the council wouldn’t explain why the lights weren’t to be turned on.
“In the last 12 years I have been using the skatepark there has never been any issues, none whatsoever. If the leisure centre staff are reluctant to turn them on by flicking a switch why not get automated lights installed?
“If it is a money issue we would be willing to contribute and pay to have the lights back on. Obviously at the moment with the shorter days it is almost impossible to skate during the evening.
“The park is one of the few outdoor spaces for youths in the area and it is so frustrating that it cant be used for nearly half the year just because we can’t turn on the lights
“We’ve started a petition on Change.Org and have almost 600 signatures already,” he said.
When contacted by Dublin Gazette for the reasons why the lights at the skatepark are off South Dublin County Council said:
“The skate park opening hours in Griffeen Valley Park are currently aligned to the Park opening hours for operational reasons.
“The Council is examining ways to extend the skate parks’ opening hours which would include the extension of the lighting hours.”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][vc_column width=”1/3”][/vc_column][/vc_row]
