Parks and other public amenities play a key role in contributing to health and wellbeing, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade Charlie Flanagan has said. He was speaking at the official opening of the newly refurbished Páirc an Phobail (People's Park) in Portlaoise, which features an outdoor gym, a bilingual nature trail, outdoor classroom, playground and a woodland walk.
The project, which took nine months to complete, also features walkways and has a lake as its centrepiece. It is home to a variety of wildlife, including bats and rooks.
The four-hectare park had fallen into disrepair in recent years. Before the project started, local and national organisations including the Irish Wildlife Trust were consulted about the best way to refurbish it and what features it should include.
The works cost about €150,000 to complete. Much of the funding was provided by Laois County Council, but money was also provided by the Irish Times/Pfizer Healthy Town initiative and Healthy Ireland, part of the Department of Health.
The Irish Times/Pfizer Healthy Town project is now in its fourth year. Each year a town is selected and initiatives put in place, aimed at helping people improve their health through simple steps. These include talks on physical and mental health, healthy eating and parenting. The Irish Heart Foundation also runs free comprehensive health screenings.
Portlaoise was last year’s healthy town and the park refurbishment was partly inspired by the project.
This year’s healthy town is Athlone and although the initiative concentrates on a particular town each year it aims to show everyone how simple, practical changes can lead to better health. There is also a website that is updated regularly with articles and health tips.
For more information on the healthy town initiative, see irishtimes.com/healthytown.