It’s A Wonderful Parklife…?

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he first thing that strikes you about Fairfield Park when you begin talking to the residents down there is that quite a few of them are more than happy with the recent mass eviction notice.

“It means that we’ll hopefully get sorted with a proper council home,” says Philip, who’s been living here for 8 years.

“It’s impossible to keep these places warm during the winter, and the damp is something else…”

News of the eviction notice for this long-standing Greystones park that houses 52 chalets and mobile homes came through a letter sent out on August 8th by landlord Bill Fenelon, who runs Haven Homes. A man who still maintains the grounds, and who seems to be liked by the residents here, despite having just given them one year’s notice to move out. “I can see how it makes sense to shut this down, and go private,” nods Philip. “This land would be worth a lot more without us on it.”

Fenelon stated in the letter, ‘due to both economic and financial circumstances and after much analysis… I have agonisingly concluded that Fairfield Park will cease to operate and close down’. Given that houses are going for €500,000 just over the railway tracks, those economic and financial circumstances look set to improve dramatically once this park is cleared out and closed down.

Situated just off New Road, down behind Brady’s Hardware, Fairfield Park was first established in 1973. Walking through it today, with all its wonderfully-decorated homes – many looking like stray carriages from the nearby railway tracks that just took root – you realise that there’s a whole small village of people down here, hidden away in this quiet little Greystones hideaway. That quiet was somewhat shaken if not entirely shattered today as Fairfield Park became national news after The Irish Times ran a piece this morning.

Everywhere you turned this afternoon, it was all cameras go, as various high-heeled journalists from RTE and beyond were led around by local People Before Profit activisit – and former Guide friend (imagine not coming to us first!) – Jacqui Johnson, going from from door to door, for a late evening news broadcast.

Johnson, who has been raising concern for the residents of Fairfield Park since the eviction notice, stated, “In the midst of the worst housing crisis in the history of the state, this is further evidence – it more were needed – that the private rental sector is not the answer to housing problems. But Simon Coveney’s housing package reveals more of the same and if these people are not housed in secure, affordable rental homes, it will show the abject failure of successive governments to address this spiralling, critical issue. “

It’s a story the Guide had hoped to cover earlier, but, sadly, it turns out that there are only 24 hours in a day, and Greystones has been stupidly busy of late. Sort yourselves out, people.

“I spent most of my winters here just staying in bed, trying to keep warm,” smiles Shay Shannon, his grandchildren and daughter pulling out of the driveway after a quick morning visit. “These exterior walls, you could punch a hole through them. Impossible to keep warm.

“So, yeah, not really a problem for me to move on. It would be nigh on impossible to fix quite a few of these homes up to any kind of living standard.”

The people Shay feels sorry for are the older generation, who have lived here 20-odd years. People like his neighbour, 91-year-old Lulu, who has just spent a big chunk of her savings getting her home refurbished. Moving house wasn’t exactly on her bucket list.

“Right now, Lulu isn’t feeling well, otherwise we could call over,” says Shay, “and there are quite a few like her, who have really made Fairfield Park their home. And they’ve made them beautiful, warm, friendly homes too. It’s the younger generation, with a few young kids in tow – they’d be more than happy to move into a decent home with insulation, heating, double-glazing, and all the rest.”

Staying in the town they love so well is going to be tricky though. With rent ranging from €140 to €250 a week down in Fairfield Park, the sudden jump to over €1,000 a week for your average Greystones rental simply isn’t an option. Continued Johnson, “Government housing policy must include a return to building social housing if we are ever to address the housing crisis. We will continue to work with the residents of Fairfield Park to support them and to put pressure on Wicklow County Council to provide alternative accommodation. The private rental sector in the area is not an option for most of these residents and for many other low income earners in Greystones, either.”

“It’s really all down to Wicklow County Council finding homes for these people,” finishes Shay. “There are up to 100 people here, and, last time I checked, none of them are millionaires. So, here’s hoping they have somewhere warm and dry to move to by next August…”

We had a quick GGTV chat with Philip – who, of course, has a sister who lives just two doors away from GG. That’s the sort of town Greystones is. 

You can catch all the shots of this disappearing landmark from the day right here.