Council has cancelled plan for ice rink

DÚN LAOGHAIRE-Rathdown County Council has cancelled plans for a temporary ice rink in Booterstown this Christmas.

The council said it had received more than 400 objections, many of them on environmental grounds.

While the council maintained it could address the environmental concerns of operating an ice rink, it said it did not believe the planning process could be concluded in time for Christmas.

A statement from the council acknowledged a sponsorship deal for the ice rink had fallen through.

Last year the ice rink attracted more than 60,000 visitors over a 10-week period.

However, it also attracted criticism as it was contributing to global warming and located on a green area.

The council said it was in a bid to address concerns for the green area that it had planned to move the location this year to rough ground in a former works compound close to the Dart station. ...

In a statement the council said: "The decision was not taken lightly as it was the most accessible and affordable ice rink in Dublin. "

It said while there would be no Christmas ice rink it would continue "to pursue its policy of providing recreational amenities for the public when and wherever possible", and cited the Festival of World Food on October 4th/5th.

The council will also stage a Samhain parade and fireworks display, both taking place in Marlay Park on October 25th.

However, the ice rink decision was criticised by Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown councillor Cormac Devlin, who said it was "as if the council have decided to cancel Christmas in Dún Laoghaire this year".

"I had hoped that the council would go back to the drawing board and try and find a more suitable location rather than cancelling the whole event.

"I would recommend that the council put the ice rink in Dún Laoghaire town centre, at the ferry terminal or somewhere along the seafront."