Resurfacing will continue on the Marina Promenade over the coming months with the riverside promenade on course to re-open to the public by year’s end.
Resurfacing on the Blackrock end of the amenity is now completed and the remaining resurfacing will continue in phases. The rehabilitation of the existing stone walls is also finished while the construction of balconies and plazas along the promenade is ongoing.
Installation of new public lighting poles and cables is progressing and landscaping work along the promenade has also begun.
The project is currently on track to be substantially completed by the end of 2024.
Works are continuing apace on Phase 2 of Marina Park. New pathways are currently being constructed in the Holland Park area and through the woodland areas. Barrington’s Folly restoration works are ongoing, as is the rehabilitation of existing stone walls in the park.
The elevated walkway structure is being fabricated offsite and works are ongoing to install the supports for the walkway.
Works have also been continuing on preparing for the new playground. To minimise waste going off-site, trees, which were cleared for works, are being repurposed as wood chips for pathways and surfaces in the playground area. Also, concrete, that was broken up for the Marina Promenade works, is being reused as fill for the park’s pathways.
Improvements works to the Atlantic Pond area, including the removal of the existing concrete edging and replacement with hard and soft landscapes, improved seating and replacement of existing concrete bridges, are all progressing well.
Piling is almost complete for the cantilevered walkway and amphitheatre area which will overhang the Atlantic Pond. Cork City Council, its design team OKRA and its contractors, Ward and Burke are working closely with its environmental consultants, ecologists and biodiversity officers to ensure the safety and well-being of wildlife in the area.
Green spaces are vitally important in cities: promoting physical and mental health, biodiversity and providing places to exercise, relax, hold community events, and connect to nature.
Cork City Council is continually exploring opportunities to further increase the provision of green space within the city and is currently working on a number of park projects which will hugely
benefit quality of life across the city. Phase two of Marina Park is under construction and will extend from the Atlantic Pond to Church Avenue in Blackrock. It will include a “nature” zone
accommodating picnic areas, adventure play areas, a preserved marshland and several architectural heritage sites. When completed it will be six times the area of Fitzgerald’s Park.
In Hollyhill, a 100ha site is earmarked for the creation of a new regional park. Cork City Council has appointed a design team to develop an overall plan for this new facility. This new regional park will create green linkages between the city and its hinterland, complementing biodiversity and providing important economic, leisure, health and environmental benefits to the northwest of the city. The masterplan will include active and passive recreational areas with interconnected spaces including parkland, natural green spaces, ecosystems and greenways. In Blarney, preliminary designs are being prepared to develop Inch Park and to integrate it with planned new pedestrian/cycle facilities in the area.
As well as managing green spaces, Cork City Council works closely with schools and community groups, supporting and advising on local initiatives. They provide materials and manpower to projects like community gardens, educational initiatives, Tidy Towns, and Men’s Sheds.
TIPS FROM OUR BIODIVERSITY OFFICER
Rosemarie McDonald, on how to promote biodiversity at home
TIPS FROM OUR TREE OFFICER
Thomas Kane, on tree planting at home.
