Still no home found for Portlaoise skateboarders

Laois County Council has still not found a home for the skate park in Portlaoise, some five years since the issue was first raised at County Hall.

At last week’s Portlaoise Town Council meeting, in response to a request from Cllr Rotimi Adebari for an update on the issue, a reply from the county council’s Mr Ian McCormack revealed that no available site has yet been identified. The council will continue to look for sites.

“There’s no home for the skateboarders,” remarked Portlaoise mayor, Cllr Willie Aird.

“This is going on five years and the number of boys and girls skating has more than doubled,” said Cllr Adebari. “Where there is a will there is a way, and the will of the council is not strong enough.”

Cllr Caroline Dwane suggested Fitzmaurice Place or The Plaza outside County Hall as a suitable location.

Cllr Jerry Lodge advised his fellow councillors to visit the skateboard park in Tullamore, which he said was a good example of such a facility.

“We should install a proper skateboard park - let’s do it right if we’re doing it at all,” he said.