To park or not to park, that is the question for Kennedy Place

There is growing support for a proposal that Kennedy Place in Navan become a civic space without car parking.

A recent petition calling for the area to become a civic space with the installation of large umbrellas and seating has already garnered well over 300 signatures.

However, opposition has been expressed by local businesses and the Council would lose significant revenue from parking charges if the change was to go ahead.

Ed Moynihan of the Navan Cycling Initiative said they want a discussion on the idea, pointing out that a civic space is exactly what the large space opposite the shopping centre was designed for, back in 2008.

"It was dubbed Navan’s Civic Space, cost €3.5million and was an award-winning design.

"This piece of land was originally given to Meath County Council by Tom Kennedy, a local farmer and councillor who lived on Canon Row. Tom loved Navan and gave this land to the Council to be used by the people of Navan, not to be used as a car park.

"Kennedy Place is opposite not one, but two, multi-story car parks, and there is another smaller one beside the credit union.

“In total, there are over 3,500 car parking spaces in Navan and disability and age-friendly parking could easily be kept on a portion of the plaza. So, with the demand for public spaces, pedestrianisation and an urgent need to reinvigorate our town centres at an all time high, is it time to return Kennedy Plaza to its original purpose?" he asked.

“The Cycling Initiative asked this question on social media, getting a very positive response to the idea of it reverting to a civic space.

"It’s fairly obvious to see that towns like Navan are struggling and need all the help they can get.

“But how do we do that? Not only does Navan town centre lack any meaningful public space, it lacks any sort of pedestrianisation. Change is coming, but how fast do you want it?" Mr Moynihan asked.

In response to this, Navan resident Gary Alder started a petition to return Kennedy Place to the people of Navan.

He proposed the Council immediately re-purpose the plaza back to its original usage of a public civic space, predicting it would bring people into the centre of the town and help boost the local economy

"Annual music events could take place in the summer months like the very successful Spiegeltent that was there a few years ago. Unfortunately this fantastic event was moved to Wexford, another huge loss for the people of Navan," he said.

At last week's meeting of Navan Municipal Council, Cllr Yemi Adenuga asked what Kennedy Plaza was originally designed for, if the original design was changed and why that change happened and what is required to revert to the original design?”

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The response from the Council was that "it was designed to facilitate and promote the creation of a major civic space inclusive of an element of car parking at Kennedy Road in place of existing surface car parking; to ensure that the design of the civic space improves the degree of pedestrian permeability linking the shopping centre to Trimgate Street and Cannon Row."

According to the Council response the original design has not changed. Earlier options including the removal of all surface car parking were considered but ruled out because of the reliance of some of the local businesses on the car parking availability for their customers in the plaza area.

Cllr Adenuga was told the original design has not changed and she heard that a relatively small number of car parking spaces are to be displaced in the area as part of the Navan 2030 works.

Cllr Adenuga said it could be a beautiful public space. "We need to have a conversation about this. We really have to think about space and outdoor activity in Navan. This is what most modern cities and towns are doing.

"It would create a more modern, more beautiful Navan," she said.

However, Cllr Padraig Fitzsimons said removing car parking would have a hugely detrimental affect on business in the area.

"I could see half of the businesses closing. They have complained to me during periods when the car park is closed such as St Patrick's Day that they lose business," he said.

He also pointed out that the proceeds from parking in that area are the largest in the county and the Council simply couldn't afford to lose that income.