Edenderry Community Garden enters lease agreement with Offaly County Council

IT was excellent news for vegetable garden lovers in Edenderry last week when Edenderry Community Garden entered into a lease agreement with Offaly County Council.
It was proposed and seconded by the councillors during the June monthly meeting of Offaly County Council that, “in accordance with Section 183 of the Local Government Act 2001”, the Council would lease 0.35 acres “of the Blundell Park Site, Edenderry to Edenderry Community Garden.” A map was distributed to the meeting showing the proposed location of the Garden within the Park.
Edenderry Community Garden are a voluntary community organisation, the meeting was told, and “their main activity will be the maintenance and upkeep of a community garden facility within the Park. The purpose of the lease is to allow Edenderry community Garden to have the use of the site for a community-based garden within the town of Edenderry.
“The proposed lease terms between the Council and the group will be:
Commencement date: 30th of June 2025. Term of five years. Rent fee of €100 per annum.
Blundell Park has been in the ownership of the Council since December 1977. It is zoned as Open Space, Amenity and Recreation Use in the current County Development Plan.
Cllr Noel Cribbin said this was great news for the Group. “They are a very enthusiastic group and they fully deserve this,” he commented. “Hopefully we will soon see lots of spuds and veg! It will be great to see life coming into that area of the park. It's great news all around.
“I propose we proceed with the lease arrangement. Cllr Fergus McDonnell seconded. “This is excellent news,” remarked Cllr McDonnell. “Edenderry Community Garden is a cohort of committed people who have been waiting a good while for this good news.”