They really made it happen.

A Cork city community has completed a plan to reinvigorate a dilapidated city park by planting rain gardens in the city’s first learn-to-cycle track.

The planting day at Railway Park, on the city’s northside on Saturday marked the final chapter of a community-led climate project, which was supported by funding from the Community Climate Action Programme, the country’s Local Authorities Waters Programme (LAWPRO) and Cork City Council’s Parks and Recreation team.

Faye Baldwin trying out the new cycle track at Railway Park. Photo: Brian Lougheed

Started by locals in the St Lukes, Summerhill North, O’Mahony Avenue, Wellington Road and Grattan Hill areas of Cork city, the group got together in 2017 to improve their local green space, through cleaning, painting and planting. The project is now being hailed as a model for other urban neighbourhoods.

“It’s exciting to reach the planting stage and see everyone getting involved,” said Michael O’Sullivan of the Railway Park Community Group.

“This shows what’s possible when a community has a vision for its green space and works with the city council to make it happen.”

Faye Baldwin, left and Realtín Burke having a great time in Railway Park. Photo: Brian Lougheed

Construction of the cycle track began last summer and it has been transformed into a safe and secure space for children to learn to ride a bike safely, featuring child-friendly road markings designed to help children learn about road safety in a fun and practical way.

While the amenity was closed to facilitate works, the city council’s parks and recreation team added further play elements to the playground area, including an active climber unit with monkey bars, a Springer and five play panels. LAWPRO funding boosted the project’s environmental impact by introducing a nature-based solution to address surface water issues that could damage the cycle track.

Cork City Council installed four rain gardens around the track to “slow the flow” of surface water by retaining it in the rain gardens. This will create a vibrant green space that reduces the impact of heavy rain on the track itself.

“These demonstrator projects give us an opportunity to trial and monitor new ways of working, like nature-based solutions,” said Sharon McDonnell, Senior Executive Planner and Chair of the Sustainable Urban Drainage (SuDS) working group at Cork City Council.

“What we learn here will inform future projects and help us build climate resilience across the city.”