Parks should not be used to solve housing crisis issues

TANYA Sweeney, in her article in the Mail, seems to think our parks are more useful for housing than as the amenities they provide to the residents in the area. She equates wanting to keep these parks and amenities with Nimbyism. How wrong can anyone be on such a serious subject?

Firstly, ‘not in my back yard’ is often, probably usually, associated with discrimination or resistance to new influences and ethoses coming into an area. And it tends not to refer to an area as big as St Anne’s Park, which serves a whole Dáil constituency and beyond, and benefits all.

Secondly, it does not solve the problem of housing. Houses are not homes. Houses become homes when people move in and create a community.

Building a thousand houses that people have to leave to get to amenities does not make homes or communities. Confusing the two is aggravating the problem.

We need the houses, yes, but we also need the infrastructure, schools, churches for those who want them, community centres and outdoor amenities such as playing pitches, parks and other facets of life other than where to sleep and eat your breakfast.

There is plenty of land near enough to Dublin (and other urban centres) where affordable, good-sized houses can be built and that – with the proper infrastructure such as trains and light rail and other public amenities – can become homes and communities. The councils can spend millions on cycle lanes that many cyclists often don’t use but cannot ensure that housing developments include the facilities needed to allow the expansion of train and light rail services to serve them.

They seem to forget that commuting for two hours each way by car is not the mobile community’s fault, but that of planners who allowed these developments without the foresight to ensure an eco-friendly, efficient, speedy and cheap commute is available.

Motorways are not the answer. That applies everywhere. Without an efficient, cheap and adequate public transport system, houses will always be just houses, and may never become homes.

So, hands off our parks, wherever they are, and plan all aspects of housing and not just the little boxes called houses wherein to lay our heads.

JOHN COLGAN, Dublin 15.

Fury’s an inspiration

BOXER Tyson Fury speaking out about his struggle with his mental health problems has had a positive effect on two young men I know.

It showed a strong man overcoming his lack of self-worth triggered by depression. He has made these young men realise anyone can be vulnerable, but with help they can be successful in anything they want to do.

They stayed up until the early hours to watch Fury win his world heavyweight title and were so excited to share the result with me that they admitted they had forgotten what it was like to feel so good. MARGARET HOSFIELD, by email.

Leo shirking his duty

LEO Varadkar’s comments about how he and his party are heading across the floor for a spell in opposition are typical of the disrespectful attitude he’s always shown to us citizens.

Just another frivolous ‘adventure’ beckons for Leo, and sure he’ll have great fun now that he appears to shirk his duty and the responsibility of being in government. ROBERT SULLIVAN, Co. Cork.

Let’s try our best

THERE is too much negativity about the Ireland rugby team on the basis of one defeat. We played well against Wales, and if we repeat that level of performance, we have a chance of beating France. DAVID O’HARA,

Co. Cork.