8.4 Social community Infrastructure should include libraries and public swimming pools/ gyms as they are key elements of social infrastructure. Appropriate guidelines and standards should be applied to ensure alignment with projected population growth for new development areas. Suitable sites should also be identified as part of this Development Plan for same.
COS4 Objective 10 to be amended to include BMX, skate park and mountain bike track also.
COS4 Objective 11 makes reference to a specific sport (rugby) whereas per the findings of an ESRI report (https://www.esri.ie/system/files/publications/RS97_0.pdf), "just over 1 per cent of the adult population played rugby during the previous seven days...and only a small minority of children who play rugby continue to play as adults." There is no requirement to single out an individual sport in this objective particularly given the poor participation rates of the same. This wording also goes against COS4 Objective 1 for multi-functional facilities.
The sporting facilities at community centers and public parks are very much focused on organised sports (GAA/ Soccer). In very few of the public parks are there any 5 a side pitches, teqball tables, one on one basketball, etc etc. Greater consideration needs to be given to these informal facilities where there is a demand for the same. A great example of this is at Bushy Park http://www.bushytennispadel.ie/