Work on Lusk park begins  

WORK has begun on the first phase of a major new public park on the Northside that will see a programme of improvements being carried out to existing sports facilities.

Fingal County Council recently took four hectares of parkland at Rathmore, Lusk, into public ownership and this land is the first section of a major new public park for the area.  

Further sections will be added as part of the open space provision for future residential development in Lusk.  

The council had been pursuing the legal transfer of the land for several years and is now able to commence the improvement work which will bring the area into use for more local residents and local sports clubs.

Local councillor Ken Farrell (Lab) and local clubs, under the Lusk 2020 umbrella, have been campaigning for the provision of sports facilities in this fast-growing area.  

In the run-up to the land coming into public ownership, the Lusk 2020 group produced a plan for the site and the adjoining open spaced zoned land. 

This plan has been used to inform the council’s approach to the future development of the site.

The works which are currently underway will see the playing surfaces of three existing sports pitches being upgraded and these pitches, which include a full-sized GAA pitch and two seven-a-side soccer pitches, will be allocated for use in early 2018.

A 900 x three metre jogging track and a 100 metres sprint track are also being developed to service the needs of local athletics groups and to provide for informal exercise and training.

It is also planned to provide a public playground on the site during 2018. The adjoining Lusk Community College and Lusk Educate Together Schools will have direct access to the parkland.

Chief executive of Fingal County Council, Paul Reid, welcomed the start of the work. According to the council, it will cost in the region of €300,000. 

“We are delighted to have these lands in charge and look forward to providing much needed and high quality recreational facilities for the residents of Lusk,” said Mr Reid.