Popular park in Offaly to be expanded in green-inspired plan

OFFALY County Council has stated that it sees the “potential” of expanding the popular Mill Island Park in the town.

The point was made last week when the councillors were discussing the draft Birr Local Area Plan during a special meeting.

A “summary” of the part of the Plan known as “Sub. BLP-D-13” stated the following: “Potential to extend Mill Island Park; Provide new 'Pocket Park' spaces off Moorpark Street.”

The Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney pointed out that the following text had been added to the draft plan. She said this additional text will make provision for the creation of “lands adjacent to Moorpark Street for pocket parks;” it will allow for “the potential to extend Mill Island Park; and it will also lead to the amendment of Figure 6.8 in the Plan which will be the addition of “symbol 5 to represent the potential location of pocket parks to the north east of Moorpark Street.”

Cllr Peter Ormond told the Tribune that the Council will most likely focus initially on two pocket parks to the northeast of Moorpark Street which will then be incorporated into Mill Island Park. The councillor said there will be funding for this and the councillors are fully behind the concept. “Extending Mill Island by developing the pocket parks is obviously the first thing to do,” he said, “then we will focus on the other pocket parks around the town.”

A submission, one of 36 submissions made by different people and groups to the LAP, was made by Birr Tidy Towns calling for the creation of a number of pocket parks and community gardens in the town. The Tidy Towns submission also asked that Mill Island Park and Camcor River Park be designed as “potential areas to provide play facilities for children”.

The Chief Executive Anna Marie Delaney said the Council thinks the provision of pocket parks, community gardens and allotments at a number of locations in the town is a good idea. These pocket parks, community gardens and allotments will be located to the east of the Tullamore road at Woodlands; to the south of the Camcor River at Syngefield; to the west of Main Street; adjacent to Mill Street and the Birr Civic Offices at Wilmer road; and to the north east of Moorpark Street.

The Chief Executive said pocket parks, community gardens and allotments utilise small spaces efficiently “to bring biodiversity into urban areas, provide high-quality recreation spaces for residents and improve quality of life for all.” She said the Birr LAP “supports the extension” of Camcor Park and Mill Island Park with the overall aim of creating a park network throughout the town and environs “with high accessibility to the public”. She said the Council will continue to improve the quality of the parks “as resources permit” and will also investigate the feasibility of establishing a Wetlands Park on Little Brosna Flood Plain.

Cllr Mark Hackett said it was encouraging to see this focus on biodiversity in Birr.