Public consultation to open on Dublin’s ‘re-imagined’ Mountjoy Square
Public consultation will open next week on a “re-imagined” Mountjoy Square in Dublin’s north inner city, which aims to restore the historic foundation of the park and significantly improve its public amenity value.
Dublin City Council (DCC) is proposing to reinstate the original circular lawn at the heart of the Georgian park, along with traditional “serpentine” paths around this historic feature.
It also plans to introduce modern amenities like eco toilets, water fountains and in-ground power units for events usage.
This will “transform” the space into a “world-class public amenity”, the authority said, while reintroducing historic elements like the restoration of the perimeter railings and traditional lighting fixtures.
Originally designed in 1802 as a pleasure garden by landscape architect John Sutherlands, Mountjoy Square’s form has been augmented with many new structures over the last two centuries.
These include a large tarmacadam area, tennis courts, a 1930s-era community building, a crèche, and toilet facilities, the latter of which are no longer operational.
A report from DCC’s parks department notes that the additional infrastructure is now “largely outdated, functionally inadequate, and aesthetically incompatible” with the Georgian setting of the square.
The community building is proposed to be demolished in the plans, while the tarmac surface is to be replaced with the central lawn, planting, and new paths.
The revised layout harkens back to the original plans from 1802
DCC said the perimeter railings were in disrepair and currently being renovated, while the footpath around the edge of the park is “congested and unwelcoming”.
The rejuvenation of the park is rooted in three pillars, with the first to restore the historic layout of the park, while re-imagining and modernising it.
Pillar two relates to the restoration of the park’s perimeter railings and the reintroduction of 84 Georgian-style lamp irons, the original of which have been lost over time.
Finally, the perimeter footpath is set to be upgraded, creating a “promenade within the public realm” and making the area more walkable.
A certain number of the park’s 126 trees are set to be felled as part of the works, but the council promised that for each tree removed, another will be planted in the redeveloped park.
The square has been increasingly plagued by reports of anti-social behaviour in recent years, stemming from drug-related issues and a lack of garda presence in the area.
A recent report from DCC’s parks department found it was one of the city’s anti-social behaviour blackspots, with 16 incidents recorded in the park between July 21 and August 23 last year.
The council says much of this behaviour can be addressed in the design of the rejuvenated park, by enhancing its attractiveness, encouraging positive uses and increasing visibility with improved lighting.
Ongoing collaboration with gardaí will also be key to addressing the issues in the square, say the council.
The plans can be found on DCC’s website here, and public submissions on the redesigned square will be accepted from January 22.