Popular Offaly park 'going backwards' due to 'Bord na Móna mismanagement'

LOUGH Boora is going backwards and is beset by a number of problems, stated councillors on Offaly recently criticising Bord na Móna for “mismanaging” the nature park.

Cllr John Clendennen told the recent meeting of Offaly County Council that Lough Boora has become “a fiasco” over the last couple of years.

“Bord na Móna promised us a bigger and better bike hire service in the park but that never transpired. Now a lot of the time you can't get a bike. You can't get food or drink. And you're being asked to pay extra for parking. It is an awful indictment of Bord na Móna and their management capabilities.”

Cllr John Carroll pointed out that Offaly County Council should be running Lough Boora not Bord na Móna, “but more and more powers have been taken away from local authorities over the years while a huge company like Bord na Móna has lots of power and lots of access to government funding. They are now talking about creating more walking and biking trails across Bord na Móna land but frankly we councillors are sceptical that these trails will be adequately run. Bord na Móna maintains the walking and biking trails in Lough Boora and is not doing a very good job of it.”

Cllr Eamon Dooley pointed out that the price of parking in the park has been raised to €5, which a lot of people are complaining about. “And we learned yesterday that the park's café 'Organic Kitchen' is going to shut down. It's obvious the park is deteriorating and is being mismanaged.”

Cllr John Leahy pointed out that in 2015 Lough Boora won a Best Tourism Award, “but it's very far away from winning such an award now. Quite a few locals have said to me they don't visit the park anymore because of the deteriorating standards. They say the bike hire service is intermittent or ad hoc, the paths are poor, the metalled road running through the park is in a terrible state, and now there's no café. It's obvious that Bord na Móna are doing a bad job. They are not managing it properly. It's also obvious that the footfall is down and is considerably below its heyday of 100,000 visitors per year. Something needs to be done to bring back this much-loved facility to its former glory.”

Cllr Danny Owens said there had been a conversation at one stage where it was suggested that the County Council buy or lease the park. “Perhaps we should revisit this concept?” he remarked. “It would be run better if the County Council was in charge.”

Anna Marie Delaney, Chief Executive, agreed that something needs to be done and perhaps the options of buying or leasing the park should be looked at. She pointed out that the Sculpture Park in Lough Boora also needs renewal. “In general, Lough Boora needs renewal, engagement and perhaps another Symposium.”

Cllr Declan Harvey said it would be only right and proper if Just Transition funding was used to help the Council buy or lease the park.

Cllr Dooley said he didn't think buying or leasing the park were runners for the Council. “There must be something in the water or the tea in Áras an Chontae today,” he commented, “because I don't think these are feasible ideas. I think Lough Boora is not an asset; it's a liability and for that reason Bord na Móna would be delighted to sell or lease it to us.”