A government grant of €58,000 for a new BMX track in Dublin has been returned because a council delayed in spending it (Photo: BMX Ireland)
A new BMX track planned for south Dublin has been scrapped despite the project having secured a Government grant of €58,000.
The facility was to go ahead in Marlay Park, Rathfarnham, and would have further facilitated the explosion in BMX racing in Ireland, especially in the greater Dublin area, in recent years.
Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council was granted the money by the Department of Sport. But now because of staff shortages in the council, it has been unable to progress the project.
It means the grant has been lost, with no funding available and the money returned to the Department of Sport.
The money had been secured after BMX Ireland worked with council staff to formulate plans for the new track and prepare a detailed application which was ultimately successful in securing the money.
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However, the money was awarded in December 2013 and the Department of Sport appears to have run out of the patience and refused to offer an extension for the plan to avoid the grant lapsing.
News of the debacle emerged at Dundrum Area Committee meeting in recent days, the proceedings of which have been reported in the local Dublin Gazette newspaper.
The newspaper outlines the content of a council report on the track which makes it clear staff shortages within Dun Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council were to blame for the lack of progress that has now resulted in the loss of the grant.
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“Due to staff shortages in parks [department] and the volume of other work commitments within the department, the works required to design and tender the project could not be achieved within the timeframe required,” the council explained in its report on the matter.
“An extension was applied for and turned down, and consequently the grant was withdrawn. Currently, there is no funding for this project.”
A spokesperson for the council said the plan for the BMX track in Marlay Park would be revisited as part of the area’s master plan.
A spokesperson for BMX Ireland struck a positive note, saying the track should still go ahead.
“The BMX Commission of Cycling Ireland has been seeking the re-instatement of the Marlay Park BMX track since 2009; thus far, very good progress has been made on the design, planning and funding of the BMX track.”
The commission remained confident about the future of the project, the spokesperson added.
“In the meantime, we will continue to base our activities around Lucan BMX track and Ratoath BMX tracks to serve the greater Dublin area.”
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