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LANDSCAPE DESIGN FOR
ABBEYFEALE
COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT ASSOCIATION
From little acorns grow.... PAIRC cois
FEALE.
By Sandro Cafolla, t/a Design By Nature
Monavea Cross, Crettyard, Carlow
Commissioned:
FEBRUARY 1998
PAIRC cois FEALE
In 1723 The concept of the Republic of Ireland was said to be first declared in Abbeyfeale.
15 years ago the Abbeyfeale Community Development Association invested in an industrial premises.
Today the town is proud to have created 1500 jobs.
The town's self- help spirit still lives on, and it is our intention to create a new asset for the town,
a Park for the 21st century featuring a Children's Millennium tree project and Riverside Walk.
Design Brief 1996 - 1997
Section 1;
Design by Nature was contacted by Tom O'Connor of Abbeyfeale in 1995.
Mr. Tom O'Connor provided design, maps, suggestions and ideas with the following design brief:
1) Leisure Centre.
2) Children's Playground.
3) Landscape Park and Riverside Walk.
4) Camping and Leisure Activities such as Pitch and Putt, possible Tennis Courts and other activities.
Following outline reports and meetings with the group the following are now identified as the Design.
The Design will consist of an Overall objective assessment for:
1. Recreational or appropriate Forestry Grant to approval and planning stage.
( This Grant is unsuitable for the requirements of the grant body and the Community Development Association).
2. Campsite and associated facilities, design and situation prior to seeking approval.
3. Siting only of open spaces for golf / Pitch & Putt.
4. All road frontage and site shelter belt, tree and shrub planting.
5. Maintenance of all areas of wild flora and fauna.
6. Playground, car park, picnic area and play field.
7. Toilet and waste situation / siting only (hot building plans).
8. Leisure Centre siting only, (includes design for light and shelter, noise exclusion and external landscapes).
9. Themes, suggestion and other ideas or activities relevant to the site.
10. Outline `Green Tourism' , and bio-regional suggestion.
11. Erosion control.
12. Design stage, Safety and Health (outdoor only).
13. Plan of action.
14. Consideration of all sites, possible sites and acquisitions or land agreements.
15. Design of riverside walk, seating, bridges and pavilions.
16. Pond design and construction supervision.
17. Overall objective assessment.
18. Site marking and forestry supervision, prior to and after planting.
Tasks for Design by Nature to do.
Reference no of maps.
References no of play equipment B5, B6, B7.
Playmaze layout.
No 1. Planting Blocks
No 2. Planting Details
No 3. Planting Details
No 4. Master Plan in 4 sections
4A
4B
4C
4D
No 5. Forestry Zones
Detail No 1. Pavilion
No 2. Car Park
No 3. Wooden Fence
No 4. Picnic Table & Mulching Details
No 5. Tree Whip / Shrub Planting
& Conifer Planting
No 6. Play Equipment
No 7. Play Equipment / Toddler Tower Unit
No 8. Playmaze
No 9. Harp Wind Chimes
SECTION 2
FINAL DESIGN BRIEF
Work to planting plan and design for the Park and recreational aspects therein.
Provision of High Quality `Safe' Children's Playground. ( Junior and
Senior).
To minimise expenditure and get the very best value for the available funds.
To keep within realistic targets.
Short Term Design Objectives
Establish
Landscape management team.
Recreational Landscape and Leisure Activity management team.
Safety and Health management team
Long Term Design Objectives
The intent is to develop a Park that has links to the wider community.
We wish to further invite suggestions and consultation with all involved with Abbeyfeale Park and Riverside for the following.
Scientific research and information.
Species based conservation.
Conservation policy for flora and fauna (kingfisher, badger and otter populations).
Fisheries - priority.
Awareness of and design for a Fisheries management plan, as Feale is a locally unique fishing river.
Full flora and fauna survey.
Fauna - What are the local populations of plants?
Flora - commission full survey.
Strategy for tourist and visitor pressures.
Environmental education and nature study.
Water quality and erosion control.
Strategy for Water safety.
Prevent erosion of the river bank.
Swimming and water recreation facilities.
Community self help through horticulture.
Green tourism.
Regional tourism and off-season attractions.
Strategy for legal responsibilities.
Employment creation.
Vermin - include stray cats (ask walkers to keep and eye out)
MANAGEMENT
Form a Recreational Landscape and Leisure Activity management team.
We suggest responsibility for recreation is seen as different than landscape design. and that leisure based responsibility is allocated to a single appropriate group within the Abbeyfeale Community Development Association.
Appoint small management team. Train and allocate responsibilities in areas of Recreational Landscape and Leisure Activity.
Survey the needs of the local community, as per list on previous page
Find local student or interested persons in environmental sciences or nature study and seek to include them as the researcher for long-term project. work with local schools.
Prepare full survey of all Bodies and support mechanism which can be called upon to assist.
Form a Landscape management team.
A Landscape management team should be assigned to establish the landscape planting of the amenity landscape, shelterbelt, windbreak and site yard / work area. They should be also responsible for design for wildlife and education.
DESIGN FOR CHILDREN.
Junior Playground.
Senior Playground.
Pavilion - agree design of and cost an all weather concrete surface/printcrete.
Play accessories, adult seating and bicycle lock up.
Toilets, washroom, car park, lighting.
Playmaze.
Two mainframe constructed wooden playframes, raised above 4 feet to stop juniors accessing them.
Number of play features situated throughout including swings.
The Park planned is primarily with children in mind. to keep them safe we aim
To enable children to burn off as much energy as possible in the safer confines of the upper field away from the river.
To have a central running area, the 'Playmaze', especially for excitable children. This is another 'burn off your energy ' activity.
Two further 'burn off your energy' play grounds for older children are placed near the river in field one and two. It is hoped to further reduce a child's excitement before the river.
Older teenage children are not catered for in the design as yet.
Suggestions to date to organise a social event for the older teenagers such as small open air concerts. Or to allow market stalls run by the teenagers themselves.
To provide a place to talk, listen and play.
A PROBLEM MAY ARISE ! IF OLDER CHILDREN CANNOT BE ACCOMMODATED IN THE PARK, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE WET SOIL WILL NOT SUPPORT SPORTS ACTIVITIES...
See back of this report for details of how education in the park can match the schools programme.
LEISURE CENTRE
A Leisure Centre was suggested by the group for the park, if built and it would be a much needed facility for the community. We felt that such a facility would be best run by a
local business person rather than the Community Development
Association who do not have the appropriate resources. However the opening of the park will generate further interest in the idea and it is hoped that the park will act as a focus for such developments.
Pairc cois Feale page 1
Starting point of design
Page 2.
Page 3
Page 4
Page 5
Page 6
Index - Landscape design with wildflowers.
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