Press Release on Merlin Park Woods: Cllr Catherine Connolly 1st December 2015
Councillor Connolly welcomes unanimous support for her motion excluding a bus corridor through Merlin Park Woods but says it is now time for the City Council working with the people to prepare a master plan for this 150 acre green oasis.
Cllr Connolly said following a very positive campaign from the Friends of Merlin Woods during 2014 when the importance of Merlin Woods to the City was highlighted, Councillors rallied in support of the people’s campaign and voted against putting a bus corridor through the Woods.
Following that vote, City Management went some way to compromising on this issue said Cllr Connolly and included in the current Draft/City Development Plan an additional objective to explore an on road bus corridor solution. At the same time however, the bus corridor through Merlin Park Woods remained as a primary objective within the plan when it came before the City Councillors last Monday night.
Cllr Connolly said she had serious concerns about such an objective remaining within the plan and she tabled a motion to exclude this objective and to have one primary objective and that is to provide a bus corridor on the road to service the areas of Merlin Park, Doughiska and Ardaun.
That motion was passed unanimously she said at the City Council special meeting last Monday Night ensuring that when the Draft/Plan goes back on display this month for a ten week period after the 11th December, it does so without the inclusion of the bus corridor objective through the woods.
Cllr Connolly said that while she is delighted with the result it is now time to work together on a positive plan for Merlin Park Woods. This is a green oasis of approximately 150 Acres which many people in Galway are simply unaware of.
In this regard when the Draft/City Development Plan goes on display again for the required ten week period, it is very important for the people of Galway to make their views known on what they see as the best use of this 150 acre park and to be part of the process of owning and developing our parks.
