Church Road’s Temporary Planters Take Root

A peony for your thoughts…

nstalled during the Covid-19 pandemic, the temporary planters along Church Road from The Burnaby to AMOC are apparently here to stay.

After a motion was brought forward at the recent District Council meeting, calling for designated parking spaces for the elderly and disabled, district engineer Graham Cullen informed the local councillors that the area involved was part of the Pathfinder Scheme, due to go to Part 8 planning.

He also pointed out that the standards for disabled parking spaces had changed, with spaces now doubled in size. Meaning that, unlike the upgraded parking spots outside the Boots and McCauley chemists on the main street, there may not be enough space where the planters in question are situated.

Even if the motion brought forward by Cllr Louise Gaskin to have them removed was approved, works could only be carried out on such parking spaces if they complied with the current standards.

The issue was raised again last night at the Greystones Municipal District Council monthly meeting, and former councillor Kathleen Kelleher was there.

“I was in the public gallery on Tuesday and was shocked that WCC did not respond more positively,” she tells the Guide. “Technically, all the planters on Church Road are now there illegally.

“Not all age-friendly or disabled parking need to have major specifications. The removal of a portion of the planters has been supported by GARA Greystones, the local active retirement association, and Wicklow County Council actually promotes itself as an age-friendly county…”

In the meanwhile, the easy-access Meridian Point and the uneasy-access SuperValu car parks are situated within a scone’s throw of said planters.