Relief for residents as estate wall to be rebuilt

Work on a dangerous wall at the rear of Fr McCullen Park in Kells is to begin within the next two to three weeks, much to the relief of local residents who have had no access to their rear gardens for over a year-and-a-half. Residents who endured two winters during which oil delivery lorries could not access their oil tanks received the good news that work would commence on repairs to the wall within weeks, following Monday night's meeting of Kells Town Council. Area anager Kevin Stewart said he expected the contracts to be finalised this week, with work due to begin within two to three weeks. The laneway at the back of some of the houses in the estate, which accessed their rear gardens, had been sealed off by the town council in September 2009, because of safety concerns over the state of a wall, which fell during high winds last November, more than a year after the lane was closed. Last September, residents of the area protested outside a meeting of the town council, pointing out that the lane had been closed for over a year and warning that their back gardens were also in danger from trees overhanging both the lane and their gardens. Consultants employed by the council to examine the wall recommended the removal of the existing structure and the building of a new wall. Meanwhile, residents received further good news this week when the town council agreed to make a contribution of €200 towards a celebration planned by the residents for later this year to mark the 40th anniversary of the estate. Cllr Tommy Grimes had asked councillors to make a contribution to the festivities. Families started moving into the houses in Fr McCullen Park in August 1971 and many of those are still living there. To celebrate the anniversary, the residents are holding a party in the estate on 14th August this year. Cllr Grimes said a lot of people who grew up there, who are now living abroad, will be contacted and already there has been a lot of interest shown by people living around the world. Cllr Grimes said the work on the wall would be completed before then. He said the closure of the lane had been a huge inconvenience to residents and paid tribute to them for their patience over the past 18 months.