Knocknacarra Community Centre

Invitation to Community Interest Groups within the City to submit their proposals to manage and operate the Knocknacarra Community Centre in the local papers this week from Wednesday the 11th February.

See press release below.

 10th February 2015. Press Release –Councillor Catherine Connolly.

Councillor Connolly urges community groups to come together and submit their written proposals for the operation and management of the Knocknacarra Community Centre before the deadline on Friday the 13th March 2015.

Following Councillors’ rejection last year of the City Council Management’s proposal to privatise the operation of the Knocknacarra Community Centre and subsequently the new Ballinfoile Community Centre which is due to open this year, Cllr Connolly said she would urge community groups to come together and put in a written proposal before the deadline of the 13th March.

Cllr Connolly said that the community of Knocknacarra have waited too long and put in too much of an effort over a 20 year period to stand by now and see their community centre operated by a private for profit entity.

Further she said that she has fought against the privatization proposal since it was first mooted by City Management over a year ago.

In the intervening period there have been unsuccessful attempts to come up with a working formula to allow the community to run and operate the new facility.

However a decision has now been taken to re-advertise and invite Community Interest Groups to come forward and submit their proposals for the operation and management of the Knocknacarra Community Centre.

In this regard said Cllr Connolly it is vitally important that community groups should unite and put in their best proposals before the deadline.

At the same time however she said Council Management must be proactive in working with whatever community group is successful to ensure that both the expertise required and the necessary financial subvention from the City Council is available to the community group.

After a 20 year battle, 7 City Managers and/or acting City Managers, three Local Elections and four different proposals in relation to its site, the Community Centre is now open in the Cappagh Park where it should have gone in the first place.

After that marathon effort it would be totally unacceptable for Council Management not to work in collaboration with the Community to ensure that the Community is run by the people for the people said Cllr Connolly.

 

 

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