We are now moving to address safety concerns within the car park at Gortnaglough. An application has been submitted to Cork County Council under the 2026 Capital Grant Scheme to support improvements focused on child safety and traffic management.
We would greatly appreciate members supporting this application by contacting local councillors to highlight the importance of this project to our community.
In the meantime, please drive slowly within the facility at all times and do not leave children unattended in the car park area.
Project Justification – Improvement of Access and Parking Management at Gortnaglough Community Park
We would greatly appreciate members supporting this application by contacting local councillors to highlight the importance of this project to our community.
In the meantime, please drive slowly within the facility at all times and do not leave children unattended in the car park area.
Project Justification – Improvement of Access and Parking Management at Gortnaglough Community Park
Ballinhassig AFC and the Gortnaglough Community Park Development Group are seeking support to improve the safety, circulation and management of vehicles within the existing grounds at Gortnaglough, following the increased use of the facility since the opening of our new all-weather Astro surface.
Since the Astro opened, activity at the grounds has grown significantly. In addition to club training and matches, the facility is now used daily by local schools, youth groups and community organisations, many of whom arrive by bus during school hours. While this growth is very welcome and reflects the success of the project, it has highlighted safety challenges within the current internal parking and access arrangements.
At present, vehicle parking within the grounds is tight and poorly defined, with an uneven surface leading to informal parking patterns. On busy days this results in congestion, reduced visibility, and vehicles manoeuvring close to children walking between the clubhouse, pitches and Astro facility. The club has genuine concerns that, without improvement, there is an increased risk of an accident involving a child or vulnerable user.
Due to the constrained internal layout, vehicles also frequently overflow onto the adjacent public road at peak times, creating additional traffic and safety concerns outside the grounds.
The proposed works are focused on improving and rationalising the existing situation rather than changing the nature of the facility. The project involves upgrading and stabilising the current surface to allow for safer and more orderly vehicle circulation, clearer separation between pedestrian and vehicular movement, and improved access for buses serving schools and community groups.
This project is driven primarily by child safeguarding and public safety considerations. With large numbers of children accessing the Astro on foot within the grounds, and buses regularly arriving and departing, the current arrangement is no longer adequate for the level of activity now taking place. Improving the internal layout and surface condition will reduce conflict points, improve sightlines and allow the club to manage traffic movements in a safer and more controlled way.
The project supports the County Council’s objectives in promoting:
• Safe participation in sport and physical activity
• Protection of children and vulnerable users
• Sustainable use of community infrastructure
• Reduction of traffic safety risks on public roads
• Protection of children and vulnerable users
• Sustainable use of community infrastructure
• Reduction of traffic safety risks on public roads
In summary, these works represent a necessary safety improvement arising from the success and high utilisation of the new Astro facility. They will ensure that Gortnaglough Community Park can continue to operate as a safe, inclusive and well-managed amenity for schools, sports clubs and the wider community.
