Big star booked for opening Laois community garden on former derelict site
Rathdowney Parish has agreed to lease land to Laois County Council for more car parking beside a formerly derelict area that has been transformed into a public garden.
So revealed Cllr John King, Fine Gael, at a recent meeting with the council where he called on Laois County Council to play its part by supporting the creation of extra parking spaces and completion of the public garden which is due to be officially opened during the summer with Daniel O'Donnell due in town for the event
The councillor was speaking on a motion he tabled calling on the local authority to remove old hedgerow/clay and kerbing on both sides of the present car park in the Shrine area, Rathdowney and replace with tarmac and parking lines in order to provide extra car park spaces.
There area has been used for public car parking for some time but Cllr King believes it will become busier due to development of the new community spaced that will be official opened this summer.
Donal Brennan, Director of Services, replied in writing.
“The Council will explore funding options for this in association with the Councillor. It is noted that the Parish of Rathdowney has indicated their permission in principle to leasing this area of the carpark to the Council, which would facilitate the works in question,” he said.
However, Cllr King said that further progress has been made.
“The parish have agreed the paperwork,” he said.
He elaborated on the work on the Shrine garden which has benefitted from funding of €70,000 in grants from Laois Partnership. He said the site, which was the location of a church, had become overgrown until a community effort was mounted to make at available for the community.
He said he was prepared to allocate some of the discretionary funds to allow the work on the car park and the garden to be completed but he felt the council should play it's part.
Cllr King also revealed that Daniel O'Donnell and his wife Majella are due to make a return visit to Rathdowney for the open the Shrine Garden by the Bishop of Ossory. The Donegal man is a regular visitor to the town performing fundraising concerts there and including the song Lovely Rathdowney in a recent record.
Cllr James Kelly, Independent, backed the motion and said great work had been done at the garden. He also welcomed the linked move to create more parking spaces as there are problems in the town.
“Anything that will alleviate the parking problems will be a great asset,” he said.
The matter was raised at the April Borris-in-Ossory Moutmellick Municipal District meeting.