Plans for Cork Street park move forward

 

PLANS for a Cork Street park have inched forward with the upcoming appointment of a design team for the site.

Dublin City Council are set to appoint a team and council have agreed a zoning variation on the Chamber Street site in order that it can be used to build a park on.

There will be a public consultation process with the local community and other stakeholders and the council should be ready to start work early next summer if early agreement on the design can be reached.

According to South Central Councillor Críona Ní Dhálaigh (SF) it is vital that consultation takes place regarding the design of the park.

She said that the full community should be involved in the process:

“The community have fought hard for this park and have some really good idea’s about the design and the use of the park.”

Cllr Ni Dhálaigh noted that green spaces in inner cities are vital for social interaction, community inclusion and mental wellbeing.

“The importance of parks to the quality of life within cities is appreciated far and wide, and is backed up by research.

“There is evidence of better academic performance in schools that have outside classroom gardens, and studies at Mount Sinai Medical Centre in New York City have revealed increased patient recovery rates in beds that overlook the Central Park,” she explained and added:

“The best planned cities in the world have beautiful, open, accessible, spaces and plenty of them.”

The Dublin 8 Councillor also criticised the way in which the area was handled during the boom years:

“Now is Dublin City Council’s opportunity to reverse some of the appalling damage done by developments over the last decades and to plan parks and open space amenities. The Cork Street area is in dire need of a facility like this”.

Local activist Sandra Hazel also spoke to The Liberty about the recent developments.

She also gave an update on the possibility of a skating component to the site.

“We are still pushing for that and speaking to some locals on the issue. They are very keen for some sort of skating element to the park,” she told The Liberty.

“Some urban sport component is important as it would act as a good buffer between the busy Cork Street and the park area. We are hopeful about getting funding for this,” she went on.

Compared to other areas within the city, Dublin 8 suffers from a lack of green space and parks for a young population.

“The site off Cork Street has been lying derelict since the flats were demolished and is an ideal location for a park. The Dublin 8 area has little green space for the children in the area. A park on this site could help bring life back to Cork Street,” according to Cllr Ni Dhailigh.

Work on the park is expected to start before next summer if the design process is swift.