Rahoon, Dangan Knocknacarra, Renmore, Ballyloughan Road, and Doughiska have all been identified as possible sites for garden allotments in the city.
Allotments have long been a feature of English city life where areas are set aside to allow green fingered individuals to grow vegetables and cultivate plants. Over the past couple of years, there have been moves to provide similar such areas in Galway city.
The Galway City Council’s recent Strategic Policy Committee meeting on parks and recreation identified six possible sites on both the east and west of the city for use as allotments. City manager Joe MacGrath however has indicated that three of the sites was probably more suitable than others.
City Hall now has to carry out a report on the costs involved and come back to the committee in September with a view to progressing at least three sites for 2011 when money is allocated in the budget.
Independent councillor Catherine Connolly said it is a case of “slow but steady progress” and that there are more than 430 people/households who have expressed an interest in allotments.
Cllr Connolly said that at the next meeting she will be urging council officials to look at the possibility of providing allotment sites in public parks where the infrastructure, like parking spaces, etc, is already in place.
“This has been done quite successfully in Dublin,” she said, “ and I urge the officials to look at the sites there and learn from them with a view to avoiding problems and unnecessary costs.”
