Green light for Mountjoy Square Park revamp despite major sport facility fury
The reimagining of Mountjoy Square Park has been approved, despite local concerns and pushback from some representatives.
The renovation of this North Inner-City park has been years in the making and seeks to regenerate the amenity with respect to its historic Georgian heritage. But some felt this should not come at the cost of the park’s useability, and there was a fear of gentrification in the council chamber at yesterday’s monthly meeting and that aesthetics were being prioritised over the actual needs of the community.
The major point of concern raised by some councillors was the loss of inner-city sports facilities , with scepticism that the proposed multi-use lawn can handle actual match play or appropriately replace the green space currently there.
Multiple councillors accused management of ignoring 196 public submissions, failing to properly consult local youth and sports clubs, and designing a historical garden aimed at tourists rather than protecting the play area used by 1,200 local children, including those from homeless families at Gardiner Street who rely on it.
Management argued that they aren't taking away community spaces, but significantly expanding them by upgrading the playground from six features to 20 and the outdoor gym from one piece to 10. They explained that the new design replaces underused asphalt courts with a large multi-use green lawn that anyone can use, rather than a single-use pitch that sits empty and attracts anti-social behaviour while vacant.
They insisted this isn't an ornamental garden for tourists but a fully accessible park built with top-tier drainage and dedicated maintenance staff for local families and wheelchair users. While some councillors asked that the topic be brought back to the local area committee for further discussion, they stressed that failing to progress Part 8 planning would mean a likely loss of RRFD funding and then the project would fail.
Dublin City Council Landscape Architect Gareth Toolan defended the plan and said they endeavoured to listen to all concerns raised during consultation but that it’s a “diverse community and a small park”. He stressed that those worried about a loss of sports facilities should know the new lawn is a 4000m² space that maximises its use potential.
“The biggest concern of all engagement was anti-social behaviour and safety. By creating dedicated spaces in Mountjoy Square with fences around them it will only be used for a limited amount of time, so when it’s not being used it creates a vacant space,” he said.
Instead, Mr Toolan said they are offering a space “for everyone” that can act as a focal point for the area while respecting its Georgian heritage. He added that there will be water fountains, toilets, and that they will work with the Area Office to ensure a programme of events throughout the year so the park is always in use.
Despite this, tensions ran high in the council chamber as several councillors said they couldn’t stand over this plan as it currently stands. Labour Cllr Darragh Moriarty said his party couldn’t support the loss of sports facilities in the inner city.
He said the new design is “not sympathetic enough” to what locals in the area actually use the park for. While he accepted the council state that the central lawn can be used by everyone, he does not believe “that will be born out in reality”.
Sinn Féin Cllr Ciaran Ó Meachair said “it strikes me sometimes Dublin City Council forget people live inside the canals” and that young people in the city inner city have “as much a right to recreational spaces, sports pitches, and community centres as any other young person in Dublin”. He criticised community spaces being redesigned with tourists at the forefront and said he’s glad to see pushback from councillors on this issue.
Citing the reasons for development outlined in the proposal, which states a desire to elevate the park’s status as “a significant visitor attraction” and increasing “staying opportunities and tourism,” Sinn Féin Cllr Kourtney Kenny questioned whether this will be a park for locals or tourists.
She warned against “gouging” football and basketball courts and questioned how the park will promote “social cohesion” as the plan states. “I don’t see who it's creating social cohesion for,” she said, adding that the focus should be improvements for the community, rather than visitors.
Green Party Cllr Janet Horner said she found the pushback against the proposal at this point “troubling,” as these concerns were not raised at the Central Area Committee, when representatives were given the opportunity to have their say. “People are echoing misinformation in this meeting tonight about ornamental lawns instead of multi-use games areas,” she said.
She stressed major investment toward sports facilities in the inner city in the coming years and said councillors should be working harder to get “correct info out to our communities and residents”. Lord Mayor Ray McAdam also stressed that there would be an opportunity to address these concerns at the detailed design phase of the project.
Ultimately, the reimagining of Mountjoy Square Park was passed following a vote. With a tally of 44 for and 17 against, the proposal went through.
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