Renewed calls for lighting to be put up around popular northside amenity

RENEWED calls have been made for lighting to be erected around a widely used green space on the city’s northside.

The Fairhill/Fairfield Community Association, who have campaigned for public lighting to be installed at The Fairfield in Fairhill for quite some time, have once again made requests for the area to be lit up after dark.

“It’s hugely used. It’s the only amenity the residents of Fairhill have on their doorstep - there’s literally no other open space in Fairhill,” Trina Murphy, secretary of the community association, told The Echo.

Ms Murphy said that while the amenity is immensely popular among local residents, people avoid it after dark because of safety concerns.

“A lot of older gentlemen meet there with their dogs every morning for a walk.

“They won’t use it after dark because with no lights it’s not safe. I don’t use it after dark myself for the same reason,” she explained.

Ms Murphy said the community association has written to all North West ward councillors this week as they believe there may be a national scheme that could potentially fund the installation of lighting.

The community association, she said, have also long sought for fencing to be installed around The Fairfield in a bid to prevent people on scramblers driving onto the pitch.

Sinn Féin councillor Mick Nugent said he and his party colleague, Kenneth Collins, have submitted a motion to Cork City Council to get a costing on lighting for The Fairfield and to enquire about possible funding streams.

“It’s a very popular amenity that is widely used by those living in Fairhill and Farranree as a walkway, as playing pitches and there’s an outdoor gym there.

“It’s been a long-term ask in the community, that if it was lit up, it could be used more in the evenings,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mr Collins described The Fairfield as a “fantastic amenity” that is tied in with the Cork City North West Slí Na Sláinte route.

Mr Collins said he hoped lighting could be installed for further utilisation of the green space.

“Something that I’ve been looking for as well since I became a councillor is that The Fairfield would be enclosed,” he continued.

Mr Nugent and Mr Collins said they are expecting a response to their joint motion at the North West Local Area Committee (LAC) meeting on Monday.