Navan is to get its 66-acre 'green lung' after all

Navan's long-awaited town park project is firmly back on the agenda with work on the 66-acre facility expected to begin in the coming months. A lack of funds had seen plans for the park shelved for some time but now Meath County Council is set to progress plans for the basic elements of the amenity, including drainage, sports pitches and a walkway. The proposed park is back on track after the Department of Arts, Sport and Tourism gave approval for the €750,000 allocated for the project to be spent on elements that were outside the original criteria agreed in their application. At last week's meeting of Navan Town Council, Navan Town Clerk Shane Donnelly said the department had approved their application for a change of purpose to provide sports pitches, a looped walkway, drainage and services and said there was a €750,000 grant available. Cllr Shane Cassells welcomed the fact that, at the start of 2010, they had department approval for the change of use for the funding and that the process would be moving on to the tender stage. "If we get the park functional, it will take off from there and it is something to work off. We have a commitment from the council to proceed and I look forward to the tender process and moving forward with it," said Cllr Cassells. Mayor Cllr Joe Reilly said he would like to highlight the progress to the people who said "it wouldn't happen and made a song and a dance about it". He added that councillors recognised that, as the town grew, it needed a 'green lung'. This new park would service the town for hundreds of years to come and was a key piece of infrastructure for Navan. "While it is a start, the money won't cover the cost but it is a good kick-start. Once it is up and running, it will progress at the speed that the community demands," he said. The overall plan for the 66-acre sports and recreation park along the banks of the Blackwater includes walkways, playing pitches, a children's playground, a bowling green and a car park. A row about the development of the park erupted in February of last year when town manager Eugene Cummins told councillors in the Navan area that he intended to shelve the project due to financial constraints. With a projected cost of €2.9m for phase one, he told members that the council simply did not have the money to pursue the project. This prompted an angry reaction from Cllr Cassells who ordered the council to work on re-costing the programme for phase one. He claimed the projected costs had been compiled at a time when prices were a lot dearer but more competiveness could be achieved in the current economic climate. Landscape architects Ferguson McAlveen are to present an updated schedule of works to council members in early February which will then allow them to proceed with the project to tender stage. Speaking after the meeing, Cllr Cassells expressed his delight at the fact that the Department has sanctioned the work to go ahead. "What people want is a functional, practical area where they can bring their families and enjoy the amenities of a large open area. We will now have full use of this 66-acre park with a walkway through the land as well as a number of playing pitches. With such a large population in the town it is essential that people have a place of recreation to go to and enjoy time with their families. More than ever, though, it will be nice to have somewhere to go and enjoy an amenity for free."