I have campaigned with Sandy Hazel of the Cork Street Park campaign (who spearheaded this campaign) to have a wasteland site converted into a park.
Due to public support, and the response this campaign garnered, and with many community groups being involved, the Dublin City Council (DCC) has agreed to turn The Chamber/Cork street site into a park.
You can view the recent FRG.ie news article about this exciting development here.
Now we are awaiting news on what funding is available, as this will be a newly designed park project. We are hoping to have a modern design, and as a template for all of Dublin to use, in helping to make our city a better place to live in.
You are invited to have your say by visiting the Cork Street Park facebook page.
What would you want in a newly designed park? All ideas and submissions will be looked at. So just leave a message or read other peoples ideas, then like and/or comment, as this is a forum page.
For example:
- Having community buildings within the park. How should they be constructed due to limited funding?
- What should these community buildings be used as? A computer access room for the public? Similar to what is available in libraries, or a community education centre? Such as used by an arts collective or a community voluntary group?
- Should the common ground area or green space, the area most used by the public, be the largest space within the park? As it could be used for events. So should there be room for a small stage area? and for family fun days, community days or even a farmers market?
- Should the seating be designed with the use of space and privacy and not clustered together? And how about availing of the sun and the south facing aspect? Not to be stuck in the dark corners
- Should railings enclose the park or not? Or should the park have none, and become an open plan park, open twenty-four hours? What about security? Cork Street is a main road.
- Should there be a children’s play activity area? Surrounded by wire fencing or waist high hedging? What about child safety?
- Should there be a Children’s toilet and a baby changing area?
- Should the council’s bike hire scheme be included in the park?
- One thing that is for certain, this park should be designed for young people, with leisure facilities, as it is essential. Do you agree?
This is a first peoples campaign to have this conversation within Dublin!
This will be a fantastic regeneration project for all of the community, visitors and friends and all those working in the surrounding area of this central Dublin location.
I live in an area known as the Tenters off Cork Street, beside the park, and your help will make a change for the better. What would you like? Should we be involved in the design process? Any and all ideas, however small should be discussed in an open forum on the Cork Street Park facebook page.
Calling all Local Industry to get involved!
The Cork Street area is historically known for its creative craft industries, which are reflected in many of the street names, such as The Weavers and The Tenters. For many years now the National College Of Art and Design (NCAD) has been located in nearby Thomas Street, with many of it’s students living in the area. Currently many businesses and artists have chosen to locate around The Weaver Street/Cork Street park site area. Working from offices, old buildings, warehouses, shops studios, portacabins and art galleries, representing all aspects of the art industry.
This industry has now become a large part of our community. Therefore it is important that it is represented and considered in the new Cork Street Park, with the prospect of community buildings been discussed as part of the project, there could be room for groups or a collective to operate. So get involved and have your say. Visit the Cork Street Park facebook page. You can leave a message of support, or have input with your ideas on what you would like in Dublin’s newest park. Remember to Comment and Like. You can become part of the plan, as art is an expression of the community.
Please share this post on your facebook page and help to spread the word!
IMAGE: Cork Street Baby – image credit: Cork Street Park Campaign/Facebook
I’ve been thinking about the park a lot — I also live in The Tenters. I’ve come up with a number of issues:
1) While open green space for kids to play is really important, there might be a safety issue with balls etc. getting kicked into Cork Street, so something to encourage children to play with their balls away from the street would be important – or perhaps there could be a sunken play area that would contain balls/Frisbees etcetera so that they are not a hazard to traffic — or simply railing as they have around the park adjacent to St Patrick’s Cathedral.
2) I think it’s important not to have “dark areas” or corners. I’ve seen from comments on The Journal that some people are anxious that a park could become a haven for anti-social behaviour. As there was also a lot of anxiety around this re. reopening Oscar Square in The Tenters and it hasn’t materialise, this could be more a perception than anything else – but in any case, an open and welcoming space would be nicer and would bring together the communities on either side of Cork Street
3) Possibly there could be a large mural or mosaic on the wall of the apartment building adjacent to unite the green and the built spaces.
Maybe a petting farm will work. In Holland we have them in the city rather than the outskirts for the locals to enjoy. A lot of the local kids get involved caring for them, it’s educational too.
There can be goats and a few rabbits, guinie pigs,different types of chickens.
There is often a playground too.
There will be information about animals, the environment, you can add other subjects like recycling and keeping the neighbourhood clean and tidy.
I remember you could come at certain times and milk the goat!
Or on particulate days and times you were allowed to groom the rabbits and hold them.
The council will need to employ one person though to be in charge and run it with volunteers.