My motion that Kildare County Council enters into talks with the Parish Finance Committee was passed at the March meeting of the Naas Municipal District.
My vision is for the County Council to agree a long-term lease on either (or both) the parish centre car park and the church car park to offset the loss of 24 parking spaces due to the proposed Grand Canal Greenway link. This isn't to encourage more traffic into the middle of Sallins village, but to help counteract the loss of Council owned car parking for parking permit holders in the centre of the village itself.
There are c. 30 parking permit holders that live in the centre of the village. As it stands, the two car parks owned by the church do not facilitate KCC permit holders, and an annual pass can cost c. €500p/a. A change of ownership from Parish owned to KCC owned/leased would immediately remove this potential cost to permit holders.
There are 38 spaces in the parish centre car park, and should it become a County Council car park, the parking permit holders in Sallins would be able to park here.
There could be a further benefit to the people of Sallins and Greenway users in the taking over of the parish centre facility by KCC on a long term lease. This is a much greater ask, but the merits stack up from my end. The parish centre needs an upgrade – the first floor is I believe unusable, for example. Were the council to take on the building, it could be refurbished and become a wonderful resource for the community with meeting rooms and studios, which local groups could hire, and facilities for Greenway users such as toilets, baby changing areas and interpretation on the wildlife and heritage of the canal. These uses would work around the needs of the parish. A win-win for everybody.
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