Louth councillor calls for wasteland at Fatima to become recreational space

Cllr John Reilly has asked Louth County Council to look into turning a piece of wasteland in Fatima in Dundalk into a recreational space for the local community.

In a motion Cllr Reilly had tabled for the May meeting of Louth County Council, he proposed that "Louth County Council seriously consider commissioning a feasibility study on transforming a currently underutilised parcel of land in the Fatima area into a dedicated sport and recreational facility.

"This would, in turn, possibly free up land closer to the schools that would accommodate  road safety in the vicinity of the three schools."

Responding to Cllr Reilly's motion, Louth County Council said that: "The Council will review options with this particular  piece of land whilst noting that it is a natural floodplain."

Cllr Reilly told the Dundalk Democrat that the proposal follows several complaints from residents about anti-social behaviour on the site, in particular, the illegal use of scrambler bikes, and the disruption this is causing to nearby schools and a local nursing home.

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“I was contacted by concerned residents about scrambler bikes being used on the land, creating not only a danger but serious noise pollution,” said Cllr Reilly. “This land is just metres from a nursing home where elderly residents are being subjected to constant noise and disruption. It’s unacceptable, and it needs to be addressed.”

Cllr Reilly believes the site has the potential to become a vital community asset, especially if it is developed with local schools in mind. With three schools located nearby, the councillor suggests that a shared green space could allow schools to reallocate some of their own land for safer car and bus drop-off areas.

The Fine Gael councillor went on to say that currently the two secondary schools in the area, St Louis and the De La Salle College, have no pick up facilities for school buses only the public road. “At present, the area faces major issues with traffic congestion and road safety at school times,” he explained.

"The Council’s attempts to encourage walking and cycling have not worked in this location .We need practical, deliverable solutions — and this is one of them."

Cllr Reilly added that "this is an opportunity to turn a neglected and problematic space into something safe, positive, and community-driven."