‘Great addition’ - Plans for new community park in north Kilkenny moving forward
Two public consultations for Paulstown Town Park have already been held with another to be scheduled in the coming weeks
Plans for a new community park in Paulstown are progressing with an updated proposal presented to Castlecomer Municipal District members at their monthly meeting this week.
The proposed two-acre park would redevelop land around Paulstown Playground to provide a new central open space that is hoped to also enhance connectivity and pedestrian links.
Two public consultation sessions were held last year on June 24 and October 7 with a concept for the development presented at the second of these meetings.
Local landscape architecture company Digby Brady has been appointed as the lead consultant for the project with a representative calling the Paulstown Town Park a “very worthwhile project” and “a great addition to the community” during his presentation to the councillors.
A bandstand structure, dog park and water feature were all suggested in submissions with the architect saying that the plans are designed to give an “enhanced sense of place and community core.”
The bandstand would be fully opensided and equipped to host community group performances and outdoor classes with picnic tables and gym equipment also a possibility.
To keep all age groups together in the one area, facilities such as chess and ping-pong tables are also laid out in the plans.
Additionally, a multi-use sports pitch and coffee dock are being proposed to further increase the diversity in functions of the park.
Some concerns raised in submissions included the effect of light pollution in the area but lights would not be left on overnight.
Laurel hedgerow that is currently growing near the playground is considered an invasive species and would be replaced with additional fencing to provide an increased level of safety around the playground which would be largely maintained in its existing form.
The Paulstown Town Park proposal will move to part 8 planning next with another public consultation to be held in the coming weeks before it’s brought to a full Kilkenny County Council meeting for presentation.
The plans drew universal praise from the Castlecomer Municipal District with Cllr Pat Fitzpatrick (FF) commenting: “It’s got community buy-in and community engagement, that’s really important” and that it will “greatly enhance Paulstown.”