Those living near Dublin’s Croke Park can be forgiven for dreading this summer, having to put up with not one but three U2 gigs and all the ensuing chaos which the 240,000 fans will bring.
However one enterprising young man has had an idea that may just put a smile back on their faces. Launching his site www.parkit.ie, Kevin Fagan says that residents in the area can use his website free of charge to make some genuine money out of the event.
“On concert or match days, traffic chaos around venues like Croke Park, Páirc na nGael, Páirc Uí Chaoimh and the Semple Stadium are no fun for residents, yet many have valuable empty parking spaces which are like gold dust for out of town attendees.
“This way, anyone living near any type of stadium or venue across Ireland can make some extra money by renting out their parking space for the day, which may make the noise and litter nuisance seem a little more bearable. And let’s face it, we could all do with some extra cash these days!”
Kevin got the idea one day when his girlfriend complained about having to pay an extortionate amount of money to park in Dublin’s city centre for a day’s shopping.
“I thought of all the empty parking spaces there must be attached to apartments nearby which instead could be rented out to day trippers and shoppers for €20 or so at a time. It’s safer than leaving the car in the street and cheaper than a car park.”
On www.parkit.ie, homeowners can advertise their empty spaces all year round and drivers can log on to find something suitable in the area they are heading to.
Commuters looking to park near train stations, bus stops or simply closer to work can search the site for suitable spaces; a godsend for those sick of expensive car parks, unreliable public transport, clampers and parking meters. As Kevin says,
“With the budget looming, any way of making or saving money is going to be welcomed by the people of Ireland this week”.
