Protest to be held in D15 over community centre closure

A protest will be held on Saturday, June 1st over the closure of the Tyrrelstown Community Centre.

Clubs in the area use the centre but have been told by the Department of Education it will be closed on July 1st for repairs.

A statement from former TD Ruth Coppinger read “the Tyrrelstown area has a huge and diverse youth population but lacks basic recreational infrastructure arising from poor planning. Both the local authority and state took decisions that left the area bereft of open space, pitches and other facilities. Now the community centre – the community hub – is to close, but with no assurances of alternative accommodation.”

It was noted that aternative basketball courts haven’t been secured for Dublin Sonics Basketball which has hundreds of young players while basketball clubs report they haven’t been able to source suitable facilities.

“All these clubs will lose members if no alternative facilities are found locally,” she said.

The centre hosts a wide number of activities such as Dublin Sonics basketball, Karate and Taekwond, Stay & Play and Barnardos Parent & Toddler groups pre school and afterschool services, yoga, and is available to be hired out by the community.

“The Department of Education owns the building and have known for several years that remedial structural works were needed — but alternative accommodation for vital clubs has not been secured before scheduling the works,” she said.