The future of Ward River Regional Park in Swords is set to be shaped with feedback from the general public.

Some of the first public engagement sessions have taken place, allowing residents to share what they would like to see in the park moving forward. A number of key themes emerged from these sessions, including: uses of the park; biodiversity; accessibility; and improved routes.

While around 70 people met with the project team as part of an interactive workshop held at Rivervalley Community Centre, over 650 people completed an online park survey that will help inform the overall design for the park and how it should be used in the future. The in-person workshop allowed the community to see the existing conditions of the park, discussing what they would like to see as it is transformed and how spaces could be re-imagined for people of all ages.

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Led by Fingal's Parks & Green Infrastructure Division, the project aims to deliver a sustainable vision for the development of the park. Protection and enhancement of the existing heritage, ecology and biodiversity is a key element of the park's future, along with developing new links within the park and with the wider area. A public report on the findings of the first community consultation will be published by the Council in January 2023.

A second phase of consultation is scheduled to take place in the first half of 2023 to help develop the preliminary design proposals further.