Preferred option for €30m Hodson Bay waterfront park to be chosen by January

The preferred design option on the planned €30m Hodson Bay Waterfront Park plan in Athlone is expected to be chosen by December or January.

The first public consultation event on the proposed development was held in the Hodson Bay Hotel on Thursday last, October 23, where members of the public had the chance to see the design options for the various elements of the project.

The event was hosted by Roscommon County Council, which is leading the project, with input from Fáilte Ireland and Waterways Ireland.

Members of the public are being invited to submit feedback on the designs before November 14, with a survey available on the council's website, before the design is finalised.

Enda Mulryan, Project manager and Senior Executive Engineer with Roscommon County Council, said the council hopes to apply to An Coimisiúin Pleanála for planning permission in July and it is expected that elements of the project could be delivered within five years.

The lead consultant engineering company on the project is CIVIC and its representative, Aisling Murphy, explained that there are four elements to the design.

There are two design options for the watersports pavilion - a linear option of an L-shaped building or an organic option of a more curved building.

There are also two options for the marina expansion, both of which propose to retain the existing pier, but one option will expand the number of berths to 50 with perpendicular berths, or a second option with parallel berths, which would see it with a total of 59 berths.

Another element of the design involves an active travel link and the enhancement of road safety.

Aisling explained that the landscape architect, OKRA, has come up with two options for the public realm space.

The first option is a natural, softer approach which emphasises green and is less grey, and highlights the ecological features and meandering paths that enhance the biodiversity.

The second option emphasises structure and visibility with paved routes and expansive spaces, using materials such as concrete, metal and stone to create a durable public realm.

"Both options for the public realm will provide the same features, so we have a marina square which could host events right in front of the existing marina. There's a proposed sundeck, a waterfront promenade.

“We are also looking to provide picnic and barbecue areas, a pier for watersports, an active meadow, facilities for wild swimmers, so as well as the formal activities you'll have activities for all users," said Aisling, who added that there will also be observation points, a nature trail and play areas for children,” she explained.

Enda Mulryan added that once the design process is complete they will freeze the design before the Environmental Impact Assessment Report is drafted based on the preferred design, before progressing to the planning stage, hopefully by July of next year.

In relation to funding for the project, he said: "At this moment in time you're talking about a total spend of circa €30 million.

"It's a significant amount of money and we'd be looking at a variety of funding streams for that. We'd be looking at a series of different funding pots to draw upon to deliver the project."

He said it is hoped that elements of the project could be delivered within five years.

"Within that time we would hope to be able to deliver elements of this project or have pieces of it complete.

"Obviously that's subject to the planning process, and hopefully the planning process will move smoothly. That's a best estimate timeline," he explained.

"Because there is such a large demand for funding and different funding streams being looked at, we're looking at which options or elements of the project we can move forward first, which elements will provide the best return on investment, which will drive additionality and drive tourists and people to the area.

"That's being considered and we have a Tourism and Economic Benefit Report as part of it as well."

He said the council was conscious of ensuring the project delivers a mix of activities so that people of varying economic abilities can use the facilities, ensuring that the bulk of activities and amenity space will be free to use by any member of the public.

"What we're really trying to ultimately do is to drive additional footfall, additional people to the area, to support economic development, support jobs, create potential jobs in the area, retain the existing, add new jobs to it.

"(We're hoping) this will become a driver for tourism development across the county and across the wider Midlands region, and that it's interlinked with other pivotal projects like the Lough Ree Greenway, and other projects, and bring tourists further into Roscommon and bring them to other attractions," he said.

Director of CHL & Associates - the tourism and economic consultant on the project - Ali Curran said they are looking at the tourism potential and corresponding economic potential for the development.

"We're not just thinking of incoming visitors from elsewhere, we're thinking of how it will benefit the resident community and what contribution it will make to leisure and lifestyle, and the quality of life," she said.

The company has carried out a number of visitor profiles throughout the summer and autumn and she encouraged local people to have their say through the public consultation process.

"The closing date is November 14 and we really welcome people engaging, in taking a look in the design, having a think about how it would contribute to their lived experience, particularly locally... in what ways might they use the area more, or differently, if these amenities were available. We really want to understand the real lived experience," said Ali.