Council under fire for €7m Bishop Lucey Park redevelopment

THERE has been a mixed reception for the re-opening of Bishop Lucey Park, with some activists saying they felt “gutted and cheated” when they first walked through the “cold and dead” newly reopened park, which the council has argued will be more biodiverse than its previous iteration.

Anti-dereliction campaigners Frank O’Connor and Jude Sherry told The Echo: “The only green space and park in the city centre is no longer a green space or park. Seriously, how did this cost €7m?"

Lack of green space

“All the concerns we raised in the original consultation in July 2021 have proven to be true, such as a lack of green space, trees, biodiversity, drinking water fountains, and public toilets, as well as the reduction of seating, the inaccessibility of much of the park and the majority of the new seating, and the dominance of carbon intensive materials, and the coldness of the aesthetic.

“It is depressing, a serious lack of beauty that is so vital for wellbeing. It feels so cold and dead with so little nature. We felt gutted and cheated walking through on Saturday. This is a very questionable use of money and resources,” the campaigners said.

“Positives are conservation of the boxers’ memorial wall and the medieval wall, and the removal of the railings and gates make it an access all hours thoroughfare.”

Manmade materials

Local artist Rob Meehan said: “Having watched the destruction and construction of the only green space in the immediate city centre, I was disheartened to see what passes for a ‘park’ in 2025.

“A space once dominated by grass and trees is now a mishmash of manmade material,” he said, adding that he was concerned how this would hold up against the elements.

“A running theme of city planning in Cork is often seen to choose materials unfit for purpose. With the removal of the gates and rails, it does feel more open, but this also adds to the feel of the park now being a walkway rather than a destination spot within the city.”

Mr Meehan argued that there should have been more amenities such as toilets, picnic tables, and better lighting.

“Instead, we are given an inexplicably expensive, as-of-yet unfinished, thoroughfare that is at its core, a path with some odd builds throughout. I am still unsure what the purpose of the hollow upstanding rectangle is,” he said.

“Trees are essential for cities, they are cooling in summer, shelter in winter, improve air quality, improve the lived aesthetic experience of any space and ensure cohesion between nature and the built environment. They are too-often removed from the city.”

Mr Meehan said other features should have been treated with greater reverence such as the old city walls, and John Behan’s Swan Fountain sculpture, which he said has lost visual impact.

“While it certainly still offers an interesting contrast with its Verdigris patina to the red surrounds, it somehow feels out of place.

“Overall, the park is sadly amiss, it lacks biodiversity, amenities, recreational space, aesthetic experience and most importantly, soul. Ours is an ancient city, we have a long history, much of which was lost in 1920. I understand that the council meant well with the redevelopment of the park and want the best for the city, but walking through, it’s hard to say they met their target.”

Plaza or park

Sinn Féin TD Thomas Gould said he too felt his 2021 submission “was completely ignored”, and instead, “trees and grass were removed and replaced with concrete and metal”.

“There is no sheltered or age friendly seating. There is a lack of character, and what was once a green lung in the heart of the city now looks like slabs of poured concrete and metal,” Mr Gould said.

“I cannot understand how this cost €7m excluding vat. The finished cost is likely to be closer to €10m. This is a real missed opportunity.”

Green party councillor Oliver Moran said it’s a dramatic change from what was there previously.

“It has changed from being a very definite park to being more of a plaza. Apart from the design, there are implications like the railings coming down and the area now being open 24/7, instead of opening and closing as a park does,” Mr Moran said.

“You can see how it has changed the way people interact with the space already. People seem to naturally pass through it now, the seating is being used, that’s going to change it’s meaning.

“From the point of view of it still being a park, it’s just been finished by the infrastructure development team and next it will now be handed over to parks.

“I’ve spoken to them and they intend to add more planting, so that aspect will evolve.

I’m mindful that it’s also winter, by the time summer comes, it could look very different again from what it is now.”

Mr Moran said the gates will be rehung on the entrance arches but in a permanently open position. They are currently being restored by a specialist in France.

Park a 'place for all'

A Cork City Council spokesperson said modern, city centre parks “must evolve to meet the changing needs of their communities”.

“The design brief for Bishop Lucey Park was to create a ‘place for all’ — a versatile public space which encourages multi-generational participation and enjoyment in formal and informal situations.

“The redesigned park is capable of hosting events throughout the year and in all weather, with power points and lighting and a new pavilion to facilitate this.

They said these will be used for planned Corkmas pop-up events over the coming weekends.

“Part of the design brief was also to create pedestrian linkages and movement, and by opening up the space, an unimpeded flow from Grand Parade through to Cork’s medieval spine is now possible,” the spokesperson said.

“The increase in footfall through the park that this will create, combined with the removal of visual barriers previously created by fencing, and the installation of improved public lighting in the park, will encourage passive surveillance and security.

“The heritage of this part of the city is also a centrepiece of the park with the city’s medieval walls brought into focus. Landscaping and planting have been carried out but the full impact of this work will be more evident in the spring and summer when trees are in leaf and planting beds in bloom.

“The low-level planting is now more biodiverse, where there was once only grass. There is a green roof on the pavilion structure to further encourage biodiversity, and all lighting is bat friendly.”

The spokesperson added that while seven trees were removed to facilitate the construction of the park, 16 new semi-mature trees were planted.