23 May 2019
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
Lord Mayor Cllr. Mick Finn performed the official opening of the 70 hectare Tramore Valley Park this afternoon.
The park has been developed on the site of the former Kinsale Road landfill, which operated from 1963 to 2009. Waste deposited at the facility included: municipal solid waste, commercial waste and non-hazardous industrial waste. It is estimated that 2.78 million tonnes were deposited here, with the main depository area being the raised dome, now the highest point of the park.
Within Tramore Valley Park are walkways and trails, an all-weather events/amenity area, a grass pitch, an international standard BMX Track, an outdoor gym, a sports pavilion, a wetlands area, and a raised dome area – giving fantastic 360 degree panoramic views of the city, east and west. The range of attractions will be further expanded in the coming years. A new park entrance, road reconfiguration, provision of over 400 car park spaces, new lighting, and a new pedestrian/cyclist access track from the South Douglas Road have been installed over the past year. The vision for the 70 hectare Tramore Valley Park is the creation of a regional amenity that provides a range of leisure-based activities.
Management of such an amenity will require considerable effort to ensure the park achieves its full potential. The amenity will be open from 8.30am, 7 days a week. The Glen Resource Centre, who already manage the Outdoor Adventure Centre in the Glen, are engaged to manage the Park on a daily basis with provision of a park ranger service and to ensure that the park will host a range of events and activities on site across the year
Cork City Council is also delighted to name the park’s 2.5km looped walkway after Robert Heffernan. Rob, Bronze medallist in the London Olympics in 2012 and World Race Walking Champion 2013- 2015 is an inspirational Cork Athlete, a true Ambassador for Athletics, and more specifically race-walking.
Lord Mayor, Cllr Mick Finn said: “Irish across the world have derived great pleasure and pride from Rob Heffernan’s success over the years. His achievements meant all the more to Cork people, as we often saw our hero out training on city walks and roads. I am confident that this re-use project will deliver social, environmental and economic benefits both locally and regionally. I know that generations of Cork people will derive great enjoyment and health benefits in availing of the amenity”.
“Tramore Valley Park looks magnificent today and is a continuing work in progress. We will look for grant aid opportunities to provide the Grange /Frankfield Link, currently costed at €3m, and also in the coming months look to provide additional pedestrian/cyclist access whilst being mindful of issues of parking for residents,” he added.
