Regeneration of Cork's Beamish and Crawford quarter and Bishop Lucey Park progressing  

Cork City Council has put out a notice seeking interest from contractors to carry out the works, which are estimated to take 18 months and cost €7.5m

A series of 'bespoke in-situ concrete features within Bishop Lucey Park' will be built, including a pavilion facing Grand Parade and a tower to South Main Street as part of the City Council's regeneration plans.

Cork City Council has moved a step closer with its plans for a multimillion euro development aimed at regenerating the city's historic Beamish and Crawford quarter, including improvement works to Bishop Lucey Park.

It has put out a notice seeking interest from contractors to carry out the works, which are estimated to take 18 months and cost €7.5m.

The proposals form part of wider developments plans for the city. 

In March, Cork City Council initiated plans to conduct a preliminary business case into the landmark regeneration of the Grand Parade Quarter and the new city library, as part of the next steps toward the €50m plans.

The public realm improvement works at the Beamish and Crawford quarter will see road and pavement upgrades across a 1.8-hectare area, running from the junction of South Main Street/Washington Street along South Main Street up to and including South Gate Bridge, to Grand Parade to the east, to Proby’s Quay/Keyser’s Hill and St Finbarre’s Street to the south, and Crosse’s Green Quay and Wandesford Street to the west.

It will also see the improving of cycle lanes, installation of street trees and street furniture, putting overhead ESB cables on French’s Quay underground, and the widening of foothpaths.

At the same time, the specific works at Bishop Lucey Park will comprise improvements to “this historic, central green space within the city centre”, the council said.

The proposals seek to sustain, protect and celebrate this condition, whilst remembering the historic built character of the site until its transformation into a public park in the mid-1980s.

 The plans will see the park layout changed through the construction of a new central plinth, which will involve “careful demolition” of existing paving, boundary railings and park furnishings.

Plans for the renewed Grand Parade Quarter will see the layout of Bishop Lucey Park change in this view from South Main Street.

New trees will be planted to complement the protection of existing trees within the park, while a “sensitive archaeological excavation” will be conducted in respect of the protection and further exposure of the existing medieval city wall along with works to repair aspects of it.

Furthermore, a series of “bespoke in-situ concrete features within the park” will be built, including a pavilion facing Grand Parade and a tower to South Main Street.

Bishop Lucey Park is set to remain closed for the duration of these improvement works. It’s envisioned these works will be completed alongside the Beamish and Crawford pedestrian and cycle bridges project along with the Events Centre on the site of the former brewery.

Earlier this year, the Government agreed to plough another €7m into the long-stalled Cork event centre project to secure its delivery by 2024. 

Construction could start before the end of year and be completed by the end of 2024. 

Detailed design work on the events centre is due to be finalised before the end of June.