DP Crossroads: Cultural & Youth Center

[DPXRd2023]

Hi All
As many of you are aware DP Crossroads is a group of local residents who are campaigning for a multi-function cultural and youth center on the peninsula. This has been an objective of FCC since the 2016 local area plan but it has never been actioned. With our population due to grow to in excess of 20,000 by 2029 we need to ensure that we get facilities built in tandem with housing development. The time for action is now before there is no community infrastructure land left to build on.

We have actively engaged with all local councilors and TDs to put our case to them and have submitted a detailed business case to FCC. We have a meeting scheduled with FCC in early May to progress this issue. We now need a couple of things from the residents to keep the campaign going:

1. Please help fund the campaign to keep us going - even a few euros will go towards ensuring we can continue to put the pressure on FCC to give us this important resource. Click here to go to our iDonate page: https://www.idonate.ie/fundraiser/DPCro ... Fundraiser
2. Please sign this online petition. It is important that all residents show their support for the campaign & sign the petition.
https://www.change.org/DP_Crossroads


Many thanks
DP Crossroads Committee

[Beenthere]

Shared, signed and donated. Thank you and all the other volunteers for your hard work on this.

[DPXRd2023]

Many thanks to everyone who attended the information stand outside SuperValu on Saturday. It was great to see the positive reactions to our draft building plans and get your suggestions on where the center should be placed on the peninsula. Big thanks also to all who signed our petition. It is clear from the conversations that residents support our campaign for a dedicated cultural and youth facility. Many are angry and fed up with the lack of decent facilities including those for non-sporting teens and adults. Everyone wants proper community infrastructure IN TANDEM with housing developments.

If you didn't get a chance, there is still time to sign the petition online.
https://www.change.org/DP_Crossroads

A copy of our latest information leaflet is attached.

[DPXRd2023]

Update from DP Crossroads following Fingal County Council meeting on 7 May 2024

Following submission of our business case to FCC in April, our committee scheduled a meeting with senior FCC officials to discuss the proposals and agree a way forward. Our detailed business case set out our rationale for the provision of a dedicated new building that would provide a multi-functional approach to cultural, arts, heritage and youth groups (existing and future) in the village. Our business case and accompanying data highlighted the following key issues:

• The current facilities do not meet existing demand. Even with the provision of Ballisk house for the library move, residents are still worse off. Reallocation of space in the community leisure center will not meet existing demand
  The lack of space will become even more chronic with the addition of c 9,000 more residents in the next five years.
  We demonstrated with utilization figures from existing groups that a new facility will be able to meet its running costs on an ongoing basis. Further additional revenue could be generated by hosting gigs and shows from outside the peninsula (such as in the Lark and Seamus Ennis) which would also be a boost to our limited recreational facilities.
  Our building designs incorporates a flexible space which includes a much needed stage and theatre for our drama, theatre, musical and performing groups.
  There are no plans to provide a dedicated full-time indoor youth space for a youth club and supports in the existing facilities. It is outrageous that we have two funded and qualified youth workers (from Crosscare) ready and available to meet needs in Donabate/Portrane but there is no dedicated space for them in our community.

As you know we are a cross party group. We have actively engaged with all parties to highlight our campaign and look for their support.
In the last few months we met with two government ministers, all local TDs and Councilors, all of whom outwardly support our campaign. Unfortunately the meeting with FCC and existing Councilors to discuss our business case was very disappointing: While praising our business case and acknowledging our data on population growth and lack of space, their approach remains unchanged: the community must work with what little space we have. To us, this is a nonsense approach as we have proven that the spaces will be maximized as soon as they are updated. FCC also made clear that upgrades to the existing community center cannot accommodate a performance space or dedicated youth center. These are two core objectives of our campaign.

We are moving forward with our campaign to get additional community infrastructure. We believe that the only way to get this facility is to continue to put pressure on politicians and FCC to demand the services that are required for our exploding population. This has been a strategic objective of the LAP since 2016. In January following our campaign, the council voted and approved for a site to be provided - so our Councilors must push to ensure that this happens before all available land is built upon.

Please sign our petition (you don’t have to donate – just bypass this option when change.org asks for it). We are going to wait until the new council is elected before we submit it so there is still time to add your signature.
https://www.change.org/DP_Crossroads

Also, don’t forget to ask all local candidates looking for your vote what they are actually going to do to make this strategic objective a reality for Donabate Portrane residents.