Every ‘Tom, Dick and Harry’ now parking boats at Baltimore homes

A COUNCILLOR who described Baltimore as ‘becoming more and more of a crisis’ has asked Council officials to meet community representatives.

‘I was down there last night and people were asking if the Council executive would meet members of Baltimore Community Council,’ Cllr Joe Carroll (FF) stated at a recent meeting of the Western Division.

The councillor, who is known for likening the approach road to Baltimore as ‘only being fit for a donkey and cart’, suggested that parking has become a pressing problem.

‘We have parking – a fine big car park on the pier – but that is now 95% full because cars used by the islanders are parked there,’ he said.

Cllr Carroll suggested there is ‘no regulation’ of that car park or indeed the parking of boats on the other side of the pier, which is where ‘every Tom, Dick and Harry have thrown their boats outside people’s homes. ‘In the middle of winter, 80% of the cars don’t move at all,’ he added.

‘The car park on the pier was built for the islanders at a time when most houses have one car – now households have two or three.

‘I know people, tourists, who have gone down to Baltimore 15 minutes before the ferry arrived and they were frantic because they couldn’t find a place to park their car,’ said Cllr Carroll.

He noted that the old boatyard is for sale for €1m, and he suggested: ‘It should not be left go out of the Council’s hands.’

‘The whole place is a general mess and residents are pointing the finger at the Council,’ said Cllr Carroll.

‘A start on this must be made. ‘The Council must go and meet those people before Paddy’s Day,’ he suggested.

Cllr Karen Coakley (Ind) agreed with his proposal.

She suggested additional parking could be found near the former hotel.

The divisional manager Loraine Lynch said the Council would meet the residents to discuss parking.

‘The Council has invested a lot in Baltimore,’ she said.

‘There is only so much that can be done, but we have no issue with meeting the residents to get their understanding of what is required.’