LAHINCH PLAYGROUND will reopen this week following a €240,000 investment.
Clare County Council will now assume responsibility for the playground which is one of the busiest in the province following completion of the works. It opens to the public this Thursday (February 5th).
Under the Community Recognition Fund 2024, the County Council was granted €165,000 for the refurbishment of Lahinch playground. A further €75,000 was provided by the Council. The playground is now open to local children and visitors, seven days a week.
A new pendulum swing, a wheelchair-accessible carousel, an accessible ramped deck, a new climber, a balance beam, sensory communication play panels, a rattle roller wheel, eco-multi chimes, seat posts and roundtables, as well as a fairytale throne are among the additions to the playground.
All equipment has also been specially treated to help withstand the coastal elements and improve the durability of the seaside playground.
Last March, Cllr Bill Slattery (FG) and Cllr Shane Talty (FF) called on the local authority to “urgently proceed with design and redevelopment works” at Lahinch playground.
Opened in 2010, insurance premiums for the playground jumped from €400 then to €6,000 in 2018. The most recent premium had been taken out by a local community group with the assistance of Cllr Talty.
Cllr Slattery stated, “I am thrilled to see Lahinch Playground reopen with improved, accessible features that make a real difference for families in our community. This project reflects Clare County Council’s dedication to inclusion and to providing top-quality recreational spaces for everyone”.
Director of Services for Transport, Climate Action, Recreation, Environmental and Emergency Services, Dr Carmel Kirby noted, “This collaboration underscores the Council’s ongoing commitment to enhancing public spaces for the benefit of residents and visitors alike”.
Senior Executive Officer for Ennistymon Electoral Area, Eoin Troy, added, “While Clare County Council has now assumed management of the playground, we wish to acknowledge the role of the local community group in its original development. The community’s hard work, dedication, and perseverance ensured that the playground was developed in Lahinch and remained open and enjoyed by children for many years. It is also important that we recognise the commitment and community spirit of the late Gerard Hartigan, to whose memory the playground was and will continue to be dedicated”.
