"Pocket Park" proposed for roundabout in Portlaoise

A new “POCKET PARK” has been proposed for an area beside one of the roundabouts on the Mountrath Road.

A motion calling for a feasibility study on the viability of a Pocket Park at a strip of vacant land that Laois County Council owns beside the Honest Pat Roundabout on the Mountrath Road was put forward by Councillor Tommy Mulligan at the latest meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District.

The Councillor received the following response from a representative of the Area Office:

“The Portlaoise MD Office will make themselves available to meet on site with the councillor to examine the location.” Explaining his vision behind the motion, Councillor Tommy Mulligan highlighted that the strip of land beside the roundabout was, in his view, large enough to allow for the development of multiple different types of public amenity/parking infrastructure. Set a reasonable distance off the main road that encircles the roundabout, he also made the case that it would be a safe site to establish a Pocket Park. The Councillor said:

“You could see your playground in there. You could landscape it whatever way you wanted. You could put mounding in, pathways through it. And look this is a project that might not prove overly expensive and it's in an area that definitely needs some sort of recreation area and it's sitting there idle.” Labour Councillor Marie Tuohy also supported the motion, agreeing that it would be fantastic to see that side of the town receive such a valuable amenity.

Funded by the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme