10 April 2014
By Bryan T. Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Work on building a new 4-point-5 million euro public park in Cork is set to begin in September 2014.
“Marina Park” will be located on an area of land around Pairc Ui Chaoimh. The 32 hectare park will be 5 times bigger than Fitzgerald’s Park. It will have a central plaza, walkable wetland gardens, and an ornamental valley.
At the moment the site of the former Munster showgrounds is derelict and closed to the public.
Marina Park has been designed by Dutch Architecture firm OKRA. Members of the public can view the plans in City Hall, and make submissions until the end of May.
Patrick McCabe works with Redscape Landscape and Urbanism and was involved in the design of the new Park
0410-MARINA-02-PRO-SIDE-Patrick-McCabe-of-Redscape-Landscape-and-Urbanism.mp3
However, Marina Park has proved divisive. The Cork County Board of the GAA are SEPARATELY planning to upgrade Pairc Ui Chaoimh in the middle of the site, and that will include building a new pitch. Some people feel the GAA development is too large.
There will be a pathway between the two GAA facilities for access from the East of the new Park to the Atlantic Pond area on the West Former Green Party Councillor and Senator Dan Boyle, says the GAA pitches take up too much space
