Public views sought on Burgess Park and Coosan Point revamps

By Rebekah O'Reilly

Westmeath County Council has officially launched an eight-week public pre-consultation to gather feedback on plans to upgrade two of Athlone's most popular outdoor spaces, Burgess Park and Coosan Point.

This consultation is just the first step in the Burgess Park and Coosan Point Masterplans, following an initial round of talks with local business owners, residents, and other stakeholders.

Consultants Fehily Timoney and Brady Shipman Martin have drawn up early-stage plans for both locations. Now, the council is asking the public to have their say and share their ideas.

Pre-consultation forms went live on the Westmeath County Council website on Monday evening, December 1. These forms include questionnaires that aim to gather as much feedback as possible from the community. The consultation will remain open until the end of January 2026.

Willie Ryan, District Engineer, said: "We really need the public's input on this. After all, they’re the real stakeholders, it’s their space."

Burgess Park Plans

The plan for Burgess Park is to make it a more attractive and inviting public space, with an upgraded landscape and more opportunities for local people to get involved.

One of the key proposals is to add a new entrance on the Golden Island Shopping Centre side of the park, to create a better sense of arrival. There's also talk of linking the park to the opposite bank of the river through a wider greenway project, which could include a boardwalk.

Other ideas include setting up a community café and a performance space in the park, with better lighting and power connections to support the growing number of festivals and markets.

Coosan Point Plans

The consultants are working on a plan to create a "high-quality, robust" space at Coosan Point, which is a key area for the local community in Athlone.

Feedback from locals noted that Coosan Point has become "a victim of its own success," with conflicting interests between boating and swimming causing a few safety concerns during busy times.

Plans for the revamped Coosan Point include a designated swimming area. Annie pointed out that swimming is currently not allowed at the site.

There’s also talk of adding a boardwalk along the lake to give visitors a chance to enjoy the water without getting into the lake. "This space could be used for yoga or walking, with seating added for people to relax," Annie added.

Like Burgess Park, a gateway to mark the entrance to Coosan Point has been proposed, to give the site a clearer sense of place.

Members Feedback

Concerns over the early stage public pre-consultation were raised by members of Athlone-Moate Municipal District, as they queried where the stakeholders contacted were found.

"We have concerns that key stakeholders, like the RNLI in Coosan, have been excluded," said Cllr Paul Hogan. He added: "These plans lack ambition, when compared to plans in previous years, such as the possibility of an opera house in Burgess Park."

Another issue raised by the members was that of the Athlone boardwalk and outdoor pool.

"The way I see it, Burgess Park is the natural location for that outdoor pool, and I don't see any mention of it in the plans," said Cllr Frankie Keena.

"I would hate to think the pool would be located at The Strand, right opposite the funeral home. This needs to be considered."

District manager Jackie Finney noted that due to fluctuating water levels, Burgess Park would not be a suitable site for the outdoor pool, however consultants for both projects would be working together to find the best solution.

"We are in the very early stages for the Burgess Park and Coosan plans, and we are simply looking to gather the public opinion on what they would like to see in their public spaces," Jackie concluded.

Forms for the pre-consultation of both the Burgess Park Masterplan and the Coosan Point Masterplan are now live on the Westmeath County Council website at: https://consult.westmeathcoco.ie/