People parking 'everywhere and anywhere' at Kildare leisure centre

K Leisure Naas is undertaking a tender process to upgrade and expand its car park, but local councillors remain concerned about the parking situation at the facility.

At a recent meeting of Naas Municipal District, cllr Ger Dunne proposed that Kildare County Council ‘undertakes any necessary improvements to the parking situation at the Naas Skatepark, Cois na Feadain, Naas Sports Centre and K Leisure on the Caragh Road to make it safer for residents of the area and/ or users of the sports facilities’.

Senior executive officer Mark McLoughlin said in a written response that K Leisure is engaged in a tender process to upgrade and expand the current car park. He added that the council’s transport department may consider more measures once those works are completed.

K Leisure operates leisure, fitness and sports facilities in Kildare on behalf of the council.

Cllr Dunne told the meeting that the K Leisure’s success has led to a large volume of cars, with people parking “everywhere and anywhere”.

Cllr Seamie Moore suggested that an overflow car park could possibly be implemented.

Cllr Carmel Kelly said that she had to stop going to classes at K Leisure because the parking situation was so bad that she would have to turn up 30 minutes early.

Cathaoirleach Bill Clear, who is on the board of the K Leisure, said there is an issue with non-disabled people parking in disabled spaces.

There will be barriers put up to prevent people parking on the footpaths, with that currently being a significant problem. Cllr Evie Sammon said that there will still be an issue because any additional parking spaces will merely replace those lost when parking on the footpath is prevented.

She said: “We’re still going to have bedlam down there, because there’s still not going to be enough parking”.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme