Castlepollard Local Development is looking forward to the opening of a New Town Park and playground facility in the town. The much needed amenity which is located beside the Library on the Mullingar Road will be fully accessible and include a range of multi-generational activity features.
The development which is on the cusp of opening will be just the first of three elements that will be delivered by Westmeath County Council’s Regeneration Project Team in Castlepollard. As part of the regeneration project for Castlepollard the opening of the park will be followed by the regeneration of the Market House and finally public realm works focussed on the Town Square over the next two years. Overall the scheme was made possible when a second successful application was made in 2022 for finance from the Rural Regeneration Fund administered by the Department of Rural and Community Development.
Speaking about the forthcoming park opening Stephen O’Brien, Chair of Castlepollard Local Development said that it has been a long road since 2018 when CLD was established till now. Back then we had a goal of retaining and refurbishing the Market House for community use and were happy to sign letters of support to the County Council’s first application to the RRDF which was focused solely on the Market House.
While we awaited word on that application CLD were contacted by Catherine and Joe Ward who were long time proponents of a new town park for Castlepollard. Catherine and Joe had returned from the States with a young family and were concerned about the lack of facilities for children. They had the vision to propose that council owned land adjacent to the library be used for just that. Many a St.Patrick’s Day parade here in Castlepollard featured an entry from Joe championing the idea. Initially we pursued LEADER funding as a route to deliver the park with the possibility of volunteer labour to complete the ground works.
It was not to be, however, and later news came that Castlepollard had not been awarded RRD funding for the Market House. Disappointing as this was, the opportunity then arose of combining the projects into a revised and re-imaging RRD Funding application. That new application was a much more holistic, whole of town centre regeneration plan which gained great support locally and happily won out. In 2022 Funding of some €4 million was granted from the Department.
The importance of Catherine and Joe’s vision for a new park as the “swing vote” in winning the funding for the whole regeneration project can’t be overstated. Castlepollard Local Development, a local voluntary group, are proud to have worked with them and Westmeath County Council to promote and deliver the project. We look forward to the opening of the New Town Park which will doubtless be a hit with all ages.
Castlepollard Local Development are currently working on a plan to redevelop the former St. Peter’s hospital campus with a vision to transform it into a one-stop shop for education, training, skills development, employment initiatives and community facilities. A project of this scale will take many years and involve a wide stakeholder group. Currently we are focussed on preparing the platform through engagement with key members of the HSE, LWETB, the local authority and relevant ministers to highlight the potential for the existing buildings to form a basis for a further education facility serving North Westmeath and wider hinterland.
Chair Stephen O’Brien
Westmeath Topic – 29/05/25
