Official Opening on Thursday the 11th June 2015 at 5pm
This is a wonderful facility after a long and tortuous battle and its official opening should rightly be celebrated.
However whilst progress has been made in the battle to ensure that the Centre is run by the City Council and/or the Community for the people of Knocknacarra it is only when this has been confirmed can the real celebrations begin!
Press Release update on Knocknacarra Community Centre-Councillor Catherine Connolly 29th May 2015. .
Following a recent meeting between City Management and Area City Councillors, it has now been confirmed that the City Manager is to make an urgent application to the Department of the Environment for additional staff in order to run the Knocknacarra Community Centre directly by City Council Staff and/or with the assistance the local community.
Councillor Connolly said this is a very positive step after a long and tortuous journey to have the Community Centre built and then to ensure that it would be managed directly by the City Council and/or the Community for the people of Knocknacarra.
Indeed she said it took a 20 year battle, 7 City Managers and/or acting City Managers, three Local Elections and four different proposals in relation to a suitable site before the Community Centre was finally constructed and opened to the public in early 2014 in Cappagh Park with its official opening planned for 5pm on Thursday the 11th June.
Moreover said Cllr Connolly, local Councillors and the Community have had to fight a further battle over the last year and a half to ensure that the operation of the new Community Centre was not privatised.
In this regard, Cllr Connolly said that as recently as the 7th May 2015, Management confirmed by letter to all the City Councillors that it was their intention to go out to tender in relation to the operation and management of both the Knocknacara and Ballinfoile Community Centres.
Cllr Connolly said she was extremely disappointed with this notice given that for over a year and a half both the Councillors and the Local Community had clearly made their views known that both Centres should be run and operated by the City Council/Community for the community and that the question of profit should not come into it.
She said she raised this issue at two City Council meetings since then and also asked for a special meeting to take place with local area Councillors.
This meeting took place on Thursday and Cllr Connolly said she is delighted that the outcome is that an urgent application is to go the Department of the Environment seeking approval for the recruitment of the necessary staff to operate both Community Centres. The community of Knocknacarra will continue however to have a vital role she said in working with the City Council to ensure that the Centre is open the maximum number of hours and available to the maximum number of users
