The courthouse in Mitchelstown is in no way suitable for the town’s new library, according to Cllr Pa O’Driscoll.
Cllr O’Driscoll made the comments after a meeting this week at Cork County Hall, “The call to move the proposed site of the new Mitchelstown library from Sutton’s Court to the courthouse is not at all appropriate regardless of what some of my colleagues are suggesting,”
Cllr O’Driscoll told The Avondhu. Many in the community see the now empty courthouse as an ideal site for the new library after court services were moved from Mitchelstown to Fermoy over the past weeks.
PURCHASED UNITS
“The council purchased three units at Sutton’s Court for the new library for Mitchelstown in 2009. A new contractor will be appointed to fit out the units within the next four weeks.
"While I heard the calls to use the courthouse for the library the fact remains that the three units at Sutton’s Court cover 366 square metres the courthouse is only 93 square metres and is not suitable for the library,” Cllr O’Driscoll continued.
MET WITH OBJECTIONS
The plan to locate the new Mitchelstown library at Sutton’s Court has met with objections from many residents and community groups in Mitchelstown and has been plagued with delays after the contractor appointed to outfit the library, Ridge Construction, went into liquidation.
It now appears that another contractor will soon be appointed to complete the work.
However, Michael White, PRO of Mitchelstown Community Council, said that the community council is fully behind their call for the courthouse to be used as the new library, “As far as we are concerned we wholly disagree with Cllr O’Driscoll and maintain that the site at Sutton’s Court is not suitable for the new library.
"The community council is fully behind the call for the library going to the courthouse and not Sutton’s Court. Firstly a library at Sutton’s Court would be dangerous, it’s a danger crossing the road and there are no parking facilities.
"Would Cllr O’Driscoll as a schoolteacher not see the dangers for young child crossing the road at this busy junction? This is also a problem for older people; we have to take this into account. Is the size taking priority over the safety?” Michael White said.
NOT SUITABLE
Speaking to The Avondhu, Cllr Frank O’Flynn added, “Many people have said that the site at Sutton’s Court is not suitable and I agree. I feel that there will be problems if the library is located there. Too much taxpayers money has been spent on this building and we are no nearer to getting the much needed library for the town. I feel that Cork County Council must once again look at their plans to locate the library at Sutton’s Court,” he said.
“The library will be going to Sutton’s Court, the county council purchased the units so that is that. Now we have to sort out the mess that is in place and instead of knocking the new library we need to get behind it. There were similar concerns in connection to the location of the library in Mallow and now this has turned out to be a very popular site in the town,” Deputy Sean Sherlock told The Avondhu.
