• Aug 2017 – Update on Leader funding for perimeter track

Although we had put a lot of work into this grant application and as we had passed stage 1 of this funding process for grant aid of up to 75% of the cost, we were informed upon submitting our draft application on the 1 st of June 2017 that we were considered ineligible to continue. This is regrettable after so much work was put into this application. After a lengthy meeting with Meath Partnership it was made clear to us why we were now deemed ineligible and the steps to make ourselves eligible again are not in the best interests of JPP. The short version is that to qualify for this grant, a change in our constitution is required which would require an EGM. After careful scrutiny, these proposed changes could have unknown legal repercussions for our shareholders and the company itself going forward. As such, and as requested by Meath Partnership, we have now formally withdrawn our application. Regrettably, we are now back on our own with this project, but we won’t let that stop us. As stated previously, we still intend to go ahead with this perimeter track in stages when the cash becomes available and after all other basic maintenance costs are covered. Hopefully commencing sometime in 2018.

• Aug 2017 – Update on the Playground proposal with MCC

On the 25 th of May 2017, we sent a polite, detailed 3-page letter to Cllr Jim Holloway, Damien English and several Council Representatives that have been involved in the playground negotiations over the past few years. We stated clearly that we could offer only a single central location for a small playground (behind the courts) and that no car park would be facilitated due to a failure to agree on a location, amongst other factors. We signalled our intent, that unless we received immediate assurances that the council would take the project seriously and commit to doing the work behind it that we would be walking away from all negotiations. We also politely stated that JPP have spent two years chasing the council to put their proposal together and we are no further on now than when we were two years back. We had even handed them two costed design options for the playground. We have done enough work on this, it is time for them to do some of the work.

To date (1 st August 2017) we have not received a reply relating to the playground offer from any of the Cllr’s or MCC representatives. Regrettably, after exploring absolutely every option, we now have no choice but to assume that this project is no longer going ahead- despite our massive efforts to get the council to deliver on their promise. We are sorry that so many kids will be let down by this news, but it is absolutely out of our control, as indeed it now seems it always was. This project has now been shelved unless some contact is received from the council.

• Aug 2017 – Update on CCTV

This proposal has been recently highlighted with us again. We have been in contact with some Councillors regarding the refusal we received from MCC to allow us to mount our CCTV cameras on 5 lighting poles surrounding the park. We do not expect any council explanation or assistance on this matter. This project is now also shelved as we had received a blunt rejection from a department within the council, despite previous support for the project from many within the council. We have now spent the money on finishing our pedestrian gates instead. What is more infuriating is that similar systems are on public lighting poles in other parts of the county and the Country. Why are we any different? We will now consider alternatives without the need for council involvement or approval.

• Aug 2017 – Locking Gates

To further secure the park we have now organised for the 7 pedestrian gates to be locked on weekend evenings at 9pm by our security patrols. These will be reopened in the morning about 7am. While we are aware that it will not completely stop entry into the park at night, we do know it will go some way by limiting options. The locking times will change according to daylight hours. As a guide, the park gates will be locked during dark hours. They will be reopened between 7am and 8am depending on time of year – winter or summer.