Kits Corner project underway

Tenacity paid off. Ten years after forming an advocacy group, the first digger will arrive to begin Phase 1 of the development of the Crover lakeshore, known as ‘Kits Corner’ on Lough Sheelin.

The Mountnugent Village Regeneration Association has been working for several years to secure funding for improvements of the local area. “This was our third attempt,” describes committee member Freda Maguire of the efforts gone into securing the funding.

The shoreline is popular with locals, used by families, swimmers, anglers and walkers. However, it has its limits: “There is a walkway along the shore to the other pier, but it’s muck,” says Freda. Overgrown in parts, often flooded in wintertime and collapsed bridges over the stream have made it inaccessible. This is what the committee aim to change, while maintaining the natural character and landscape. “The plan to keep it as natural as possible,” Secretary Siobhan Duffy says. “People living in the area, they wouldn’t want anything ostentatious on their doorstep either,” agrees Freda.

Phase 1 of the works include car-park improvements, changing facilities, picnic tables and pier upgrades. Future stages would include a better walking route, a natural playground and a floating boardwalk connecting the two piers.

This boardwalk would serve as a safety measure for young swimmers, explains Chairperson Stephanie Pakenham: “The boardwalk would function as a barrier for kids to swim on the inside. And we’ll recreate the beach that was once existing there as well.” Once the reeds that have been encroaching onto the beach have been pulled out, new sand will be poured out - restoring the beach area to its former size and glory.

In the summer, Kits Pier attracts many swimmers. An upgrade of the facilities is badly needed, say the committee members as they point to the trees where kids currently go to change. “There’s two weeks of swimming with 200 kids with Water Safety Ireland. Families stay for the whole day, bring tents and chairs, it’s a lovely atmosphere,” says Stephanie.

Currently, the area is maintained by locals. A neighbour mows the grass, others help clean up and shovel the sand. “It’s a beautiful area, just up the road from Crover House as well for tourism, it would be lovely if people could use the walkway around here at the shore,” says Noel Connell who was chair of the committee when their grant application for the Outdoor Rural Infrastructure Fund came through in 2021. “Fair play to these women, they were applying since 2018.”

Freda remembers “it was held up for a couple of years” due to part of the area having Special Area Conservation status, requiring an ecological assessment before works could be approved.

After the carpark upgrade, the development will focus on the natural playground and biodiversity. The proposed play area will incorporate natural features into the landscape rather than standard playground equipment: “It’s not that we’re going to bring in slides and roundabouts and the whole lot. It will be something that will be done naturally; mounds and tunnels for kids to explore,” says Siobhan. The plan also envisages planting trees and other vegetation and providing information about local plants and wildlife.

For every phase, the group will have to apply for funding again, but now “there’s no going back”. They are happy to see the development finally beginning. And maybe down the line, when the reeds are pulled, the walkways are tidy and the sand is poured out, there will be a small sauna-hut to relax in after all the hard work. “But that might be another ten years,” the group comments tongue in cheek.