With summer finally here, CSR is proud to showcase two different park projects in Wexford and Cork — both designed to bring hours of enjoyment to people of all abilities in the local neighbourhoods and beyond.

Gorey District Park is an aspirational renewal project designed to bring joy to local Wexford communities. Site works began in early May 2019 and are scheduled for completion at the end of this year.

Cunnane Stratton Reynolds is the lead consultant and Employers Representative for the project on behalf of Wexford County Council. The design team comprises Landscape Architects, Architects, Civil and Structural Engineers, Mechanical and Electrical Engineers, PSDP, Quantity Surveyors, Arborists and Ecologists. The project involves a range of refurbishment works and will introduce a series of delightful amenities to serve the needs of growing communities in Gorey and its surroundings.

Refurbishment works relate to the existing football pitch and changing pavilion, while a new café will form an annex to the pavilion. The café overlooks a south-facing mixed-use plaza, which is interspersed with planting, an amphitheatre, play area, outdoor gym, water feature, boules facility and outdoor table tennis.

The park will also feature a new wetland area, swathes of meadow grass and groves of native trees to increase natural habitat and enhance biodiversity. Car parking facilities and an expanded footpath network around the area enable convenient access to the amenities.

The new play area at Bishopstown Park, which opened earlier this year in Cork, is an inclusive play facility designed to meet the growing needs of local communities. An intelligent blend of functional features and playful installations make this a beautiful and accessible resource for the families of Bishopstown and beyond.

Cunnane Stratton Reynolds was the lead consultant and Employers Representative for the project on behalf of Cork County Council. The design team included Landscape Architects, Civil and Structural Engineers, PSDP, Quantity Surveyors and Play Specialists.

Catering for mixed abilities, the Bishopstown play area features a range of multi-use play items, including a feature wooden castle, activity trail and climbing structure. Traditional play items, like swings, a hammock, a bird's nest swing, roundabout, slide and springer units, provide variety and entertainment. The outer circuit also includes a log maze, tree stumps and stepping logs, a wobble bridge, balance beam, crawl-through tunnel, climbing boulder and willow dome. Tubular bells and Rainbow Samba drums provide plenty of sensory stimulation.

The layout includes a seating/play area with a climbing boulder near the main entrance and a sandpit play area for younger children. There is good visibility across the Bishopstown site and play surfaces include a mixture of woodchip and wet pour rubber. Access for all throughout the play area is ensured by compacted dust paths.