Children in three areas of Limerick are to be the first across the city and county to avail of a “pop up” play area pilot project overseen by Limerick City & County Council.
The initiative sees trees felled on the Mill Road in Corbally to facilitate an Active Travel project reused for natural play in three areas; Kennedy Park, Corbally Baths and Mayorstone Quarry.
The tree trunks being left in the pop up playgrounds are designed to allow children to sit on, climb on or walk on as they play with siblings or friends.
The initiative is a joint venture being undertaken by the Council’s Active Travel and Parks departments.
Senior Engineer with Limerick City & County Council’s Active Travel team, Sean McGlynn, commented: “A significant part of the mission statement of the Active Travel team centres around sustainability. While a move towards more sustainable transport measures is needed, it’s recognised this will, on occasion, have small impacts on our landscape. We’re excited to be working with our colleagues in Parks who have helped us to ensure an alternative use for these particular trees, which will allow children in the three areas to express themselves through natural play.”
Carmel Lynch, Senior Executive Engineer with Limerick City & County Council’s Environment, Recreation & Climate Change department, added: “The Council is endeavouring to move towards providing natural play to children where possible and also to encourage children to engage more with nature and their natural surroundings. An opportunity presented itself with the Active Travel Project on the Mill Road and we are thankful to the Active Travel team for their part in this collaboration. The initiative is temporary to begin with, so we would really appreciate the public’s feedback on the facilities while the pop-up playgrounds remain open over the next number of months.”
Officials from the Recreation team will monitor the initiative for the next number of months to assess its progression.
People with feedback on the pilot programme can contact parks@limerick.ie
