Four green flags awarded to Cork city parks

Cork City Council has scooped four green flags at this year’s Green Flag Awards.

The awards were announced on Wednesday by An Taisce Environmental Education, which celebrates Ireland’s best public parks and gardens.

The green flag is an international benchmark for parks and green spaces and it promotes public parks that are managed sustainably.

Both Fitzgerald’s Park and Shalom Park retained their two green flags for 2022/2023 and two new green flags were awarded for the Regional Park Ballincollig and Douglas Community Park.

Lord Mayor of Cork City Deirdre Forde said they are thrilled to have so many green flags.

“I am particularly delighted to see that two parks in the recently extended city boundary have achieved such distinction as well, the Regional Park Ballincollig and the Douglas Community Park (in partnership between Douglas Community Association, Cork City Council and Douglas Tidy Towns),” Ms Forde said.

“Parks, greenways, recreation facilities, and green spaces have never been more needed for both physical and mental well-being by residents and visitors and particularly during the Covid-19 global pandemic.”

Stephen Scully, Cork City Council Parks and Recreation department, added: “Receiving four green flags for our beautiful parks is a testament to the efforts of all parks staff, and volunteer groups, who work tirelessly to reach such high standards required by the green-flag criteria.

“All four Cork City Council parks were independently judged in July and August.

“Our green flags will be raised in each park in the coming weeks.”

Cork City Council has a policy of promoting biodiversity in its parks by planting pollinator-friendly plants to replace traditional seasonal bedding, changing grass-mowing regimens to increase native wildflowers, eliminating pesticides for general maintenance, adapting to climate change, and involving local communities in biodiversity initiatives.