Campaign for public park in Moate moves to tender stage

Hopes are high that a new public park in Moate will come on stream next year. Three years in the making, the campaign to secure a new public amenity on the Mount Temple road, close to Dún na Sí Heritage Centre, moved a step closer to fruition in recent weeks with the project progressing to the tender stage. Back in 2008, a group came together entitled the Midland Amenity Park Association out of a series of community meetings, under the chairmanship of Frank Kelly. The purpose of the meetings was to explore potential community uses for the existing wetlands and former cowpark lands located on the Mount Temple Road, lands which the council generously agreed to release to the community, if an agreed format of use and management could be established. To this end, and throughout 2009, a series of more detailed meetings happened which gave rise to a submission to Westmeath Community Development in November 2009 for Leader funding to facilitate a study of the site, in a bid to profile its geological and ecological richness. Conducted during 2010, the feasibility study has been used this year to instruct a full design team of landscape architects and engineers to progress the project to contract tender stage this month. The closing date for tenders was Friday, November 11 last. A successful contractor will be chosen in the months ahead to carry out the work, which the tender document details involves the construction of the park, installation of park furniture, play and fitness equipment and park features like bases for wildlife hides and sculptures and supply or nursery stock.' "The goodwill and support which we have received for this project from right across the Midlands, at both a community and business level have been a vindication of all the work put in by the 20 plus organising committee," commented Chairman Frank Kelly this week of the community support and fundraising. On Father's Day of this year a successful Open Information Day was held beside the park in Dún na Sí and attracted great enthusiasm and support. Local man Cathal Higgins was the lucky winner of a pedigree heifer in a very successful fund raising draw in early Autumn Mr Kelly emphasised that the group's intend to complete the park on-site during 2012 and the Keep it Country concert (see acccompanying article) isa key part in that plan. "The new park will be an amenity for everyone, from adults to teenagers and young children there will be something of interest for all the family," Mr Kelly said, adding in the future they hope develop the amenity further in the future with the provision of play areas, woodland pathways, bird hides and easy parking. The potential of the Midland Amenity Park is one of great richness and diversity of experience, the group says.