I fully supprt this proposed Amendment and the submission from Ashbourne Playspace. On a personal note, during the 2km Covid19 restrictions I was politely told off for entering the grounds of the local rugby club which is behind my house, with my  [Redacted_Personal Information] for a run around.  I understood this but to see these private club lands next to me marked as greenspace on maps is very frustrating as I and thousands of non-members do not have access to thses spaces. I phoned the GAA club as I saw an initiative in other towns where people were permitted to walk in the clubs but DonAsh club said no, they don't have a walking path. This is a club I am a member of and it was a no to accessing the land during the restrcitions (and also it's a no outside training times!).

Therefore I support this land being used as recreational as I disagree with the view that private, fee-paying, specific-use clubs constitute part of the 'greenspace' quota for our town: the large golf club, the rugby, GAA and soccer grounds. These spaces make up the majority of what's deemed 'greenspace' yet all were closed throughout level 5 restrictions. Why? because they are simply not public spaces! None of these spaces were opened for exercise even during an international emergency in a large town with no park, forest or coastline. These are member-only fee-paying clubs. I cannot walk a buggy on a golf course, or have a picnic on a soccer pitch or take a dog for a walk down the shooting range.

During covid we were confined in our thousands to the patches of greenspace dotted around the town. In the map of Ashbourne, I also see land next to me which is compeltely inaccessible - overgrown, dumped on, fenced off wasteland - down as 'greenspace'. 

Please acknowledge this reality. The 'true' amount of accessible greenspace we have here is tiny relative to houses and population and tax paid by this commuter demographic!