No short-term progress likely on plans to revamp Athlone’s Burgess Park

Although the process of designing a refurbishment plan for Athlone's Burgess Park could begin this year, it's likely to be some time before work gets underway there.

That was the message delivered by council officials last week after Cllr Louise Heavin called on the Municipal District of Athlone-Moate to progress refurbishment plans for Burgess Park this year.

The council said any enhancement works at Burgess Park could only take place after the completion of two major projects currently underway and planned in the same area including the Athlone Flood Alleviation Scheme and the installation of the Main Drainage Scheme for Athlone by Uisce Eireann.

The latter project involves a huge investment of some €114m and includes, amongst other elements, the development of two new sewerage tunnel under the Shannon, one of which emerges on the east bank of Burgess Park in Golden Island.

Uisce Eireann (formerly Irish Water) says the Athlone Main Drainage Scheme could take three years to complete, although it's not clear at what stage during that timescale work on the Burgess Park element will conclude.

Speaking at last week's meeting of the Athlone-Moate Municipal District, Cllr Heavin said: “I feel at this juncture that it's important that we actually push ahead with this. We get consultants on board, we get a good plan in place, run an excellent public consultation piece and we get the main town park up and running."

Cllr Heavin explained: “It's the place for people when they arrive into the town they come to visit first, they sit there, they see Athlone for the first time. It's important that it's functional, it's looking its best, it gives heed to the fact that it's in a flood zone."

The Green Party councillor also feels that spaces should be provided in the park for children and young people. “There's plenty of really creative ways to design town parks. If you look at best practice internationally or nationally, there's a big movement towards rain playgrounds. In Ireland I think we need this rain playground because it's raining a lot of the time.”

“We also often miss spaces for teenagers to hang out and meet friends. I feel like our town park should do that," added Cllr Heavin.

Heavin, who is an architect by profession, also believes that having landscape designers involved in the process is important.

“I would hope that actually the district office will appoint a consultant this year. We should be getting the designers to do the draft work, to make sure that if there's something that the flood drainage could incorporate, if there's something that Uisce Éireann could incorporate, then, the consultants are there.”

Cllr John Dolan supported the motion and said: “It's one of the most important green areas we have and probably the most prominent so it's important that we do it right. Going forward we have an opportunity to put the best playground we can in the Midlands. We need to know what we're going to put there rather than just say we're going to appoint consultants.”

Cllr Aengus O'Rourke said: “We all agreed in 2021 that Burgess Park needed a facelift. I'd like to see this design plan. It does need some reimagining. The playground needs to be demolished and rebuilt.”

Cllr O'Rourke wondered if Uisce Eireann would provide any funding.

However, Athlone Moate Municipal District Manager, Jackie Finney, said other projects would need to take priority.

“There are a number of projects that are under funding deadlines and that have to be progressed in the first half of the year.”

Ms Finney acknowledged that the process of prioritising projects may be frustrating. “We work on prioritising projects to try and ensure that we get our funding deadlines and maximise the funding that can come into the community.

Director of Services for Westmeath County Council Barry Kehoe said: “We will be looking for funding and investment in parks.”

In its written response, the council said it would prepare an enhancement plan for the entirety of Burgess Park. However, it noted the possible disruption in the park during the coming year as a result of the work on the flood defences and the main drainage.

“The procurement of Design Consultants for this project is planned for this year with a view to the enhancement works being undertaken with the completion of the Main Drainage Scheme. The Consultants Brief will include reference to the issues highlighted including community consultation, appropriate planting and best practice in urban park design.”