Plans for the city’s newest and largest park have stalled unnecessarily says Independent Cllr Kieran McCarthy. The Councillor has expressed real disappointment at the continuing lack of financial resources by Cork City Council to open Tramore Valley Park to the public and the pushing out of the timeframe to open what will be Cork’s premier public park. In a response by the Chief Executive to Cllr McCarthy, it was noted that some facilities are in use on Saturday mornings, the BMX track and the rugby pitch. Essential engineering works are being undertaken at present to ensure compliance with health and safety. It is anticipated these works will be completed in early autumn. Proposals to open the park during 2017 are presently being examined and resource implications will be considered in the context of the 2017 Draft City Council Estimates.
Cllr McCarthy noted: “Once again the timeframe for opening this 160 acre park has been pushed out; millions of euros have been invested into converting the landfill into one of the largest public parks in the country. It was an ambitious plan of conversion using top level environmental engineers and experience and now at the last hurdle to open the park, the Council are hindered by the recruitment embargo and compared to the millions needed to top soil the landfill- there are now small scale financial limitations left to overcome such as employing park rangers. Thousands of people who live adjacent the site want this park opened, as do other citizens. People are excited about the potential of this public space. We have seen the enormous interest that arose from the Park Run and the real disappointment when it had to disband from using the park due to not being ready to take a large public capacity. More and more people are getting out walking and running to stay fit. For over thirty years, generations of local people have pushed for the closure of the landfill. There needs to be a lot more pressure now by all quarters to get this park opened in the immediate short term and to secure the small scale finances needed to open it”.