Resurfacing works earmarked for shopping centre car park

Long running issues around the deteriorating state of the car park at Johnstown Shopping Centre in Navan look like they will finally soon be resolved with resurfacing works expected to take place in the coming weeks.

Customers of retail units in the shopping centre have been complaining for years about the poor state of the car park and just this week, a local wheelchair user contacted the Meath Chronicle to highlight the dangers posed for people with disabilities in particular.

Mossie Forde (76), is a resident of the independent living facility at Bailis, located beside the Johnstown Shopping Centre and regularly visits Supervalu in the centre. However, the poor condition of the car park surface means she has to negotiate two potholes to make her way across the car park.

She has also pointed out that the pedestrian crossing lines end and have not been repainted across the entrance road into the car park.

One of the home support workers at the independent living facility where Mossie lives, Hazel Murphy, said Mossie now has to rely on someone to bring her to the shops as she doesn't feel safe making the short trip on her own.

She is also worried about another friend with a visual impairment who cannot see the potholes.

Supervalu Johnstown owner Denis Smith has outlined that resurfacing works are due to be done in the coming weeks. He said: “As a result of the car park and its condition deteriorating over the last number of years, the management of Supervalu have got involved with the company who are running the centre and as of recent meetings with the management company and potential contractors, we expect to have the car park completely resurfaced and lined in the coming weeks for customers to shop with us safely and comfortably.

He added: “As the owner of Supervalu, we work tirelessly to ensure our customers have a pleasant place to shop and along with store manager Fiona, we have been very concerned about the state of the car park over the past number of years for our customers.”