Cork mum on a mission to make The Lough a great haven for kids

Katie O’Regan’s love for The Lough runs deep. She grew up in the area, as did her dad.

The Lough has been there through all her life stages, and she is now rearing three small children with The Lough on her doorstep.

After a period of living in Canada, she returned to see that the Lough remained in need of investment.

“I saw how they kept their parks in Canada - obviously different budgets, different context, but still - The Lough could be so much better, especially the playground. So, I thought - stop complaining and do something about it.”

Feeding the ducks used to be a core activity at The Lough, but since we realised that feeding mouldy bread to birds is a bad idea, the playground is the main source of entertainment for smallies, and yet it has just four swings and one slide.

Plus, it is unenclosed, next to a body of water. For any owner of kids who tend to bolt, or who are keeping track of multiple children - a trip to The Lough playground can be a stressful outing.

Katie wants to change that. She started actively contacting local politicians and councillors about the issue in 2022, and began researching playground development costs and surveying locals about what they wanted from The Lough.

Full disclosure - Katie is a good neighbour of mine, and I have been closely watching her efforts to turn her love for The Lough into something tangible - a better playground for all the kids in Cork.

She is on a mission to get the playground upgraded so that it can be an inclusive space for children of all ages, and the community has been rallying to her call.

Her valiant voluntary efforts are all done while mothering three kids under the age of five.

Initial council motions for more investment at The Lough were dismissed, pointing out that a new pirate ship and adult gym were installed in recent years. (The adult gym was initially used as a climbing frame for older children but is now a magnet for buff gym bros - intimidating to anyone who can’t do ten consecutive muscle-ups!)

However, figures released by Cork City Council showed the total playground spend across the city between 2016 and 2025 was €3,229,512.18, and The Lough received just 0.7% of that budget.

The lack of investment bears out in Katie’s survey results.

Respondents gave the playground a 1 out of 5-star score and identified the main issues as outdated equipment, too little equipment, poor fencing/security, not enough for different age groups, poor maintenance, and lack of shade.

Corkonians have rightly had their aspirations raised by playgrounds like Murphy’s Farm in Bishopstown and the Marina Park in Blackrock - why can’t the kids of Glasheen/Ballyphehane/Togher, and beyond, have a similarly inspiring playground at the fantastic amenity of The Lough?

After petitions and various motions, the council eventually agreed to put approximately €150,000 into upgrading The Lough playground. A lot of money.

However, the plans don’t currently include some crucial elements, so Katie is fundraising to supplement the council’s budget and “add equipment to make it inclusive and accessible for all ages and hopefully all abilities, and to make it safe, meaning fully fenced with a self-closing gate”.

Safety is one of the primary concerns for parents in the area. Katie says “So many parents have contacted me saying they can’t bring their kids there because it’s too dangerous with the water - especially with toddlers who don’t have a sense of danger yet.

“I’ve personally seen a scrambler come through the playground at high speed. Another parent has photos of e-scooters passing through too. Given how much coverage there’s been of e-scooter injuries, enclosed fencing is a non-negotiable in the re-design.”

The council agreed to incorporate some additional funds to the refurbishment and Katie is on a mission to raise money to deliver the features parents and kids want.

“The response from the community has been amazing: kids running cake sales and selling homemade jewellery,” she said.

“A local care home ran a coffee morning and raised more than €400. Businesses have been very generous. It is wonderful to see that the community cares so much.”

Katie and her mum, Catherine, pitched up at the local SuperValu last weekend - raising awareness about the project, asking for donations, promoting an upcoming online raffle - all with the lure of Katie’s mother’s home-baked treats.

They raised more than €1,200 - clearly demonstrating the great grá locals have for The Lough - and the top-notch quality of Mammy O’Regan’s baking!

Katie has a wider vision beyond the playground refurbishment, she wants to add a sensory garden next to it to make it a nice space to sit, with picnic tables and planting around the trees.

Ultimately, she’d like to establish a Tidy Towns group of locals to help with graffiti removal, more planting for pollinators, and generally making The Lough a more beautiful place to be.

Katie acknowledges that it’s a financially trying time now, but if everyone who watched her Instagram reel about the need for a playground upgrade (28,000 and counting!) donated just €2, it would make a fantastic impact at The Lough for this generation of smallies and the ones to come.

Katie is keen for people to share their nostalgic photos of The Lough playground over the years, follow the journey of the playground upgrade, and get details about the upcoming raffle launching on Friday, August 21 at https://www.instagram.com/theloughplayground/.

And of course, if you love The Lough, donate to the GoFundMe fundraiser - https://www.gofundme.com/f/upgrade-the-lough-playground