NWRA funding for Con Smith Park in Cavan
Almost €300,000 in funds has been secured for the development of Con Smith Park, including the creation of a new Biodiversity Garden.
Cavan County Council has been awarded €250,000 for the delivery of a Biodiversity Garden, the maximum grant available under the North-West Regional Assembly’s Decarbonising Zones (DZ) Scheme.
The programme provides 100% grant funding to support innovative, community-focused climate action projects located within or adjacent to designated Decarbonising Zones identified in Local Authority Climate Action Plans (LACAPs).
The Biodiversity Garden, which will be located at the southern end of Con Smith Park, will feature new pathways through the park, removal of non-native species, planting of native trees and hedges such as hornbeam, irises, alder, willow, oak and native reeds, along with the addition of wildflower meadows and raised beds.
A further €49,755 was awarded under the scheme for the development of a Masterplan for the expansion of Con Smith Park to the east towards the Cootehill Road on currently vacant lands.
This Masterplan will explore options to enhance the offering of Con Smith Park and to create additional green urban space to complement the existing park, introducing nature-based solutions to help deal with the seasonal flooding in the park, and supporting the restoration of the ecosystem and improving biodiversity.
Welcoming the funding announcement, Cathaoirleach of Cavan County Council, Cllr Carmel Brady anticipated it will "significantly enhance" one of Cavan Town’s most popular amenities.
She added: "Cavan County Council enjoys an excellent working relationship with the North-Western Regional Assembly, and I would like to thank them for their ongoing support”.
Chief Executive of Cavan County Council, Eoin Doyle also welcomed the NWRA funding. “This Decarbonising Scheme, co-funded through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) and the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment, will allow Cavan County Council to make significant strides in advancing key Climate Action goals, while also enhancing one of our most popular recreational amenities."
He thanked the NWRA for their ongoing support and also acknowledged council staff who, he said, "are always alert to suitable funding opportunities for the county". Mr Doyle also thanked the county's elected members who are "stalwart supporters of our ambition in developing world-class amenities”.
It’s expected that a contractor will be appointed to deliver the Biodiversity Garden in the third quarter of 2026, while the Masterplan is due to be completed in 2027.
The DZ scheme is supported by the Department of Climate, Energy and the Environment and co-funded by the Irish Government and the European Union through the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).