Fermoy’s green spaces

Dear Editor,

It was with sadness and regret that I read in last week’s edition of TheAvondhu (04/03/21), according to Cllr Noel McCarthy, that Cork County Council have agreed to a pilot project to remove some of the green areas in local housing estates and to convert this to additional parking spaces.

Children play and thrive in these green areas. In doing so, children observe the natural world and come to cherish it. From this comes a desire to protect their environment with its green spaces, trees and wildlife.

Children and young people have shown over the past number of years that they have the courage and motivation to stand up for their environment, unlike a lot of us of my generation who for years have stood by as our surroundings get increasingly damaged and destroyed.

Given the perilous state of the earth’s environment, the degradation of biodiversity and climate change, it is now more important than ever that all people respect, value and seek to preserve our green spaces. Once such areas are concreted over it is nearly impossible to get them back again. Extra parking spaces almost inevitably means more cars, with the added dangers of increased traffic and exhaust fumes which are a danger to the health of our children and ourselves.

I think our local councillors should be trying to promote the development of green spaces and look to developing a good public transport system so that we do not have to rely so heavily on cars.

Green spaces are relaxing and good for the health of everyone. It does one good to go out and ‘get a breath of fresh air’. We do not want to live in concrete jungles.... or do we? Yours sincerely, Gillian Cussen, Macroney Upper, Kilworth, Co Cork.