Wants Knockananig Reservoir preserved as an amenity for Fermoy
A member of the sub committee set up to preserve Knockananig Reservoir as an amenity area has criticised Fermoy Mayor Michael Hanley for stating at a recent town council meeting that the property should be sold off. The mayor said the amenity was "a serious burden" on the local authority.
Tommy Lawton says any town would love to have an amenity like Knockananig Reservoir and he wants to see the by-laws the sub committee has asked for to be drawn up and a new lease issued to allow it to be protected and further developed as an amenity for the community to enjoy long into the future.
He pointed out the body of opposition the council was met with when it was planning to close the reservoir for repairs two years ago. "We were all aware at the time if they did close the place it wouldn't open again," Tommy says.
The sub committee of the town council that was set up arising out of that saw Tadhg O'Donovan elected chairman and members drawn from Avondhu Tourism, Fermoy Coarse Angling Association and other local interests.
Tommy says the sub committee worked closely with the town engineer while the works were carried out and that they were, for the most part, completed to the satisfaction of all.
Recalling a plan mooted some years ago to allow the reservoir to pass into private ownership and be used to build lakeside chalets, Tommy still fears this could happen. It would be "a disgrace" to allow it to be sold off, he stressed.
He wants the by-laws they requested to be drawn up and enacted and a new lease issued without delay to protect Knockananig's fish life, flora and fauna so that it can continue to be enjoyed by locals for fishing and walking.
"Fermoy is in a serious mess at the moment and getting worse by the day; businesses closing down all over the town, huge unemployment that's well above the national average, all our young emigrating, parking near impossible yet people are still charged for the privilege, events being cancelled or seriously interrupted because of the flood works, these are the issues our elected representatives need to be addressing and not attempting to take even more away from the people," the irate local said.
Published:
Friday 7th June 10:59am
