NINE months after a historic Ballincollig building was destroyed by fire, a local councillor has been told that an updated reconstruction may soon be under way.

In the early hours of Saturday, June 18 of last year, a fire destroyed the old mill building on the Powdermills site in Ballincollig’s Regional Park. The building, a reconstruction of the original mill building, had been commissioned by Cork County Council in 1993. 

At the time of the fire, Chief Superintendent Tom Myers, head of policing in the Cork City division, denounced those behind the suspected arson attack as “just gurriers”.

Now, Ballincollig-based Cork City councillor Derry Canty has been advised that Cork City Council intends to replace the ruined building with a modified design in the coming months.

“I’ve raised the matter a good few times inside in the council, and during the week now I’m after getting a good answer from the senior parks and landscape officer,” Mr Canty said.

“They met up last autumn with the person that designed the original reconstruction back in the 1990s to discuss an alternative design for the mill house, something that would be virtually a reinstatement, but, at the same time, allow people to see the purpose of the building in the context of the powdermills.” 

Mr Canty said that the proposed new draft design would have a stainless-steel frame, reducing the flammability of the structure, and city council officials are due to meet again in the coming weeks to discuss the matter.

“I really welcome this news, because the summer is coming and a lot of people like to go for a walk in the park, and it’s terrible to see this burnt unit,” the Fine Gael councillor said. 

“It sickens me to see the damage that was done that night, but, please God, in the next few weeks we’ll be able to see something taking shape and we can get back our beautiful building.”