Cllr Proposes ‘Park Patrol’ To Ensure Safe Atmosphere At Playground

The playground in the Town Park.

A FIANNA Fail councillor has proposed a type of ‘Park Patrol’ pilot scheme for the summer months because of problems in the Town Park playground.

Cllr Norma Foley put forward a motion at the monthly meeting of the Tralee Municipal District on Monday, that measures be put in place to improve the children’s playground in the Town Park so as to ensure its safe access and a child-friendly atmosphere.

The playground has been used lately as a hangout for young teenagers who bring an atmosphere of intimidation to the area and they have been using the facilities which are meant for children of 12 and under.

“It’s a fantastic amenity for children but there has been some difficulty around the area of late,” said Cllr Foley. “There should be some sort of a ‘Park Patrol’ system implemented so people can feel more secure in the Town Park,” she said.

Cllr Terry O’Brien (Lab) also said that the playground was a fabulous facility but the main problem was the 15 or 16 year-old teenagers who were visiting the park and using facilities meant for younger children.

Cllr Toireasa Ferris (SF) said she had experienced this behaviour by teenagers first hand on visits to the playground with her family  but she felt it shouldn’t be a policing issue.

She said these young teenagers had nowhere else to go in town and she asked town management if there was the possibility of developing a facility with more “grown-up” equipment away from the children’s playground.

“I know it’s frustrating for parents of young children to see this type of behaviour, but they [teenagers] deserve to have an amenity as well and the town has failed in providing one for them,” said Cllr Ferris.

Tralee Municipal District Manager, Charlie O’Sullivan, said they would look into the issues brought up and would come back to it at the next meeting.