I have lived in Greenhills for over 55 years. I raised my children here and have seen the area grow and change. There has been a lot of talk that the voices of older residents are not being heard. I am one of those residents, and I want to make it clear that I am strongly in favour of the proposed AstroTurf development in Greenhills Park.

When my children were small, Greenhills Park was known locally as “the field” because that’s all it was. There was nothing there. The idea that we could have had a modern, well-maintained sports facility back then would have been incredible. This project represents the kind of progress our community has long needed.

The new AstroTurf facility will use less than 25% of the park area. That still leaves the majority of the park open for general public use. At present, the park is underutilised, mostly used by people walking their dogs or jogging on the paths.
 

The grass area is already used by local sports clubs, so upgrading part of it to an all-weather surface is a logical next step. It will benefit not just soccer, but Gaelic games and rugby as well. It’s an investment in the current generation of children and the next.

A number of objections have been raised, but many are based on misinformation or exaggerated claims:

• There is no wildlife to speak of in Greenhills Park. It is a flat, open green space already used for sport.
• Claims that AstroTurf is carcinogenic are false. This is fear-mongering with no scientific basis. These facilities are safely used every day by schools and communities all over Ireland and abroad.
• Concerns about floodlights are unfounded. They will be strictly regulated and turned off at set times. Floodlit facilities already exist in built-up residential areas, such as local tennis and sports clubs.
• Suggestions that the fencing will block views are inaccurate. Most nearby homes already have garages, sheds, or high fences along the boundary. In most cases, the new fencing will not be visible from gardens, only from upstairs windows, if at all.
• Concerns about parking have been blown out of proportion. The park already handles match days and training for multiple clubs in all weather, hail, rain or shine and the new facility will simply provide a safer and better-organised space for those same activities.
• Some have said the surface will need replacing in a few years. That is normal and expected. Every sports surface, whether grass or artificial, requires maintenance and renewal over time. It is part of good facility management, not a reason to delay investment.

This development is a positive step forward for Greenhills. It makes proper use of the park, supports local sport, adults and children, and brings a long-overdue improvement to community facilities for our children. I strongly urge the Council to proceed with the project and to disregard the misinformation and fear-mongering that has surrounded it. This is progress: sensible, local and good for the future of Greenhills.

Padraig Keane