This is going to be one helluva park!
The next phase of the new 70 acre Marina Park are due to commence this summer and advance works are set to kick off in the coming weeks.
Once completed, the new park will be six times larger than Fitzgerald’s Park and equal in size to Dublin Zoo. Located just 2.5 kilometres from the city, Marina Park is touted as a key economic driver and a catalyst for the new Cork Docklands development.
The new park will include a nature playground (as well as various kids play areas throughout the new park), a brand new heritage trail which includes accessible, formal and informal paths complete with heritage structures highlighting the history of the Marina, and an upgrade to the existing Atlantic Pond which will see removal of existing concrete edging, replacement of the concrete bridge, improved seating and revamped landscapes.
A number of trees will be removed and replaced, along with removal of shrubbery to facilitate the development of the new woodland trails and paths in the coming weeks – the majority of these being dead or diseased trees as they pose a health and safety concern. Over 70 new trees will be planted during this process.
There will also be be a focus on the inclusion of more wildlife in the area, with the ecological management of the meadows, woodlands and marsh areas being a key focus point for the next phase, promoting and increasing the biodiversity in the new park.