Galway City Council is pleased to launch non-statutory public consultation and engagement on the new Kingston and Millers Lane Neighbourhood Parks. The proposed parks will include three large sports facilities primarily for hockey, soccer and rugby; community buildings with changing pavilions; and children and young people’s facilities.
Feedback is invited by 1 November 2024 to inform the design and development of the two new parks, to ensure they reflect the aspirations and priorities of the local community. Details of the project – including public meetings and workshops - can be found at www.KingstonParkMillersLane.com
Speaking about the Kingston and Millers Lane Public Parks and Public Urban Realm Project, Sharon Connolly, Senior Engineer for Environment, Parks and Recreation, Galway City Council, commented, “Galway City Council is delighted to launch this public consultation and engagement process for two important public spaces in the west of the city. The input of residents, schools, sports clubs and representative bodies, older people’s groups, community groups, youth groups, LGBTQ+ and environmental societies and others will be central to the process, so the designs that we bring to planning are shaped by the diverse people who will use them. We will shortly be launching a series of public workshops and events and would welcome the participation of the public in these events”.
From 2016-2018, Galway City Council progressed the Kingston Preliminary Masterplan Project. This Masterplan included objectives (below), which will proceed to detailed design and construction stages, as part of the Kingston and Millers Lane Neighbourhood Public Parks project (subject to planning approval and funding):
- To include Millers Lane and develop two new public parks instead of one.
- To provide two community and dressing room buildings.
- To build a new hockey pitch at Millers Lane.
- To upgrade a soccer pitch at Millers Lane.
- To provide a new pitch at Kingston Park that will prioritise rugby.
- To provide children and young people’s play facilities.
- To provide new pavements and public lighting.
- To provide new tree and shrub planting.
- And finally, to provide car and bicycle parking.
MKO (Galway City) will lead the public consultation process on behalf of Galway City Council.
Feedback is being invited on the proposed objectives for the parks that include:
- Placing Biodiversity as a high priority, and adopting a green infrastructure approach including: Providing health-related and social benefits; Mitigation and adaptation to climate change effects such as managing higher temperatures, drought periods, managing rainwater at high peak periods, storage and reuse of rainwater; Reversing Biodiversity losses; Identifying appropriate planting species that will be adaptable/appropriate to changing climatic conditions
- Nature-based systems to collect and filter rainwater. This water would be used for irrigation, water features and for cleansing operations in the park. The nature-based storm drainage would incorporate swales, permeable paving, water retention basins, formal ponds, wetlands, and rain gardens.
- Major planting schemes of formal trees, small woodlands, hedgerows, fruit trees, formal hedges, formally trained trees, ornamental shrubs, perennials, and flowering plants including native plants and meadows
- Designing the park for the needs of various people and groups including: People using the general parks that like to meet friends, have a cup of tea, coffee or snacks and public toilets; people and small groups using the parks for strolling, jogging, relaxing, exercising/training (for example, Park Run) who require access to showers and toilets; Meeting groups and classes(indoor and outdoor); Mothers and toddlers groups (indoor and outdoor); Schools; Sports Clubs (affiliated and non-affiliated); Clubs (beekeepers, ornithologists, artists and more...); Use for events and public consultation. The parklands would be fully physically accessible and provide for additional needs of, senior citizens, people with auditory, sight and sensory issues. There shall be an outdoor sensory space for children and adults.
- Providing facilities for adolescents and young adults that would be designed to purposely allow teenagers to meet, socialise, exercise, and develop.
- Consulting with children to understand what it is they need. This would influence how the parks and facilities are designed and managed and how children can gain both emotionally and physically.
- Providing facilities for all (full inclusion); for example, consulting with and including for the needs of our communities with physical and intellectual disabilities, or the many people who are faced with life changing health issues and challenges be it following a diagnosis of an illness or after a serious accident. The parks would also be designed to encourage equal safe use by women, young women, the LGBTQ+ community, and those who have come to Ireland from other countries.
- Your feedback and experiences will help the design team to make the two parks - and the spaces between - locally-recognised, unique and loved places and spaces that the entire community will be proud of, and treasure for generations to come.
Illustrations and design considerations for the two new parks can be found at www.KingstonParkMillersLane.com
Share Feedback
Feedback is invited on the proposed Kingston and Millers Lane Neighbourhood Public Parks:
- At workshops, meetings, and events - see www.KingstonParkMillersLane.com for details and updates
- Through the online survey at www.KingstonParkMillersLane.com
- In writing, to Kingston Park and Millers Lane Project, MKO, Tuam Road, Galway, H91 VW84 or email Info@KingstonParkMillersLane.com
- Feedback is invited before 1 November 2024.
- For general queries contact Info@KingstonParkMillersLane.com
Next Steps
The consultation will close on 1 November 2024 and the design team will review all submissions. These submissions will inform the ‘detailed design’ stage for the two proposed neighbourhood parks at Kingston and Millers Lane.
Further statutory public consultation will take place as part of the planning process in 2025.
Subject to planning/ funding, MKO will bring the project to construction in Q1 or Q2 of 2026.