Park pond to be filled in five years after toddler’ death

A CARAVAN park pond in which a toddler drowned last year and which almost claimed the life of another child five years ago is to be filled in at last.

Youghal Town Council has voted to lift the protected status of the manmade feature in Seafield caravan park outside the Cork town. Its status as a protected natural habitat and wildlife facility prevented the caravan park owner’s efforts to remove it after a near tragedy there in 2002.

After that incident, Dan Dorrian applied for planning permission to fill it in, but the town council refused on grounds of natural heritage importance.

Then last July, Glen McNamara Twomey, aged two, drowned in the pond when he tried to retrieve a plastic toy gun from its waters.

City coroner Dr Myra Cullinane recommended the pond be filled in to prevent future tragedies.

As part of a review of the Town Youghal Development Plan 2003-2009 this week, the council voted five to three to lift the pond’s protected status clearing the way for Mr Dorrian’s plans.