Councillor wants cobblelock paving in Mullingar examined

Municipal District of Mullingar Kinnegad, March meeting

“I have to say for me that this has been a most unsatisfactory meeting,” Cllr Mick Dollard stated at the March meeting of Westmeath County Council’s Mullingar Kinnegad municipal district, held online.

The independent councillor had his digital “hand” up for two agenda items on the Microsoft Teams format, but this inadvertently went unnoticed by the mayor, Cllr Bill Collentine.

“But that’s life,” he said, moving on to deal with the first of three questions tabled by him at the meeting.

Cllr Dollard asked if the council could investigate the need for repairs to the cobblelock paving close to Mullingar Autos at the Dublin Bridge; to consider “much needed” resurfacing works at Gas Lane; and to take in charge the Central Park estate.

With regard to the cobblelock paving, Cllr Dollard was informed that this will be investigated, and repairs carried out if necessary. He was also told that remedial works in Gas Lane will be carried out in 2021.

The councillor responded by asking if officials could examine cobblelock paving in the town as a whole. He expressed gratitude for the impending works at Gas Lane, which he described as “the worst stretch of road in Mullingar”.

With regard to Central Park, director of services Martin Murray said that the local authority is in “deep negotiations” with the residents of Central Park about council proposals to take the state in charge.

“It was initially unacceptable to the residents of the estate, and we’re currently working with those residents to iron out the remaining issues associated with Westmeath’s willingness to take Central Park in charge,” said Mr Murray.

The Central Park issue was also raised by Cllr Aoife Davitt (FF), who also asked officials if an overgrown stretch of the pedestrian path on the Lynn Road, Mullingar could be cleared.

Cllr Davitt was told that that stretch of path has been cleaned.

“The part of this path that was in need of clearing was quite close to the Joe Dolan Bridge, where a lot of people are walking at night when it’s dark,” Cllr Davitt responded, asking if the matter could be looked at again. “Most of the people have to walk out onto the main road, that isn’t lit.

“I know they have done huge work near O’Brien’s Centra, but it’s actually further out towards the Joe Dolan Bridge as well.”

Cllr Davitt also asked if a gully on Mary Street could be cleared. Blockages caused overflows of water which tend to freeze during cold spells. She was informed that gullies at this location have now been jetted.

Staying on Mary Street, Cllr Bill Collentine (FF), mayor, has been told that resurfacing works at that location have been included in the 2021 estimates.

Lighting issues

Cllr Ken Glynn (FF) raised a number of public lighting issues in Mullingar at last week’s municipal district meeting.

He asked if there were any plans to light up the new pelican crossing at Hughes’s Eurospar on the Green Road, which is very dark in the evening time. He also asked why two public lights near the railway bridge at Mullingar Business Park (close to the Town Band hall) have not worked for months, and if they will be fixed soon.

With regard to the Green Road, officials told Cllr Glynn that the public lighting there already complies with relevant standards, and so there are no plans for additional lighting.

However, Cllr Glynn insisted that people experienced “visibility” issues when crossing the road. Martin Murray, director of services, said that the matter would be revisited.

Mr Murray added that the council is aware of the lighting issues between Blackhall Bridge and the junction at Expert Electrical. The transportation department is in the process of preparing a public lighting design and footpath layout for this road, with a view to updating the existing infrastructure and lighting with new cabling, micropillars, columns and lanterns.

Meanwhile, Cllr Glynn sought details on how the council proposes to alleviate a high kerb outside a house in Ardilaun Green. He was told that the matter has been passed to the district works crew for commencement after the current Covid-19 restrictions have been lifted.

Cllr Bill Collentine, mayor of Mullingar Kinnegad municipal district, was also on the hunt for public lighting improvements. He tabled questions about plans to replace existing streetlights on Oliver Plunkett Street, Mullingar, and requesting an examination of the intensity of LED lighting at the Brookfield estate.

In response to the former, officials said that works to replace the lights on Oliver Plunkett Street has commenced and will be completed before the end of this month. Meanwhile, the “lux” levels for the new LED lighting in Brookfield from houses 4 to 29 will be examined in the near future.

Call for new public toilets

The provision of a new public toilet in Mullingar town would involve a cost of over €80,000, Cllr Hazel Smyth (Green) was told at last week’s Mullingar Kinnegad municipal district meeting.

The development would involve a capital cost of €52,000, and a maintenance cost of €32,000.

Cllr Smyth said that messaging from central government about encouraging outdoor eating seemed to support the case for a public toilet in the town, as well as recent calls for changing facilities which the councillor heard at a PPN meeting.

“I think it’s worth it, and I think it will enable a lot of people who want to be in the town, who want to use our facilities, who want to shop locally but who otherwise might be deterred by the lack of a public toilet,” Cllr Smyth added.