Ballyshannon celebrated the opening of its newly enhanced Mall Park on Wednesday, 25th June 2008 by Cllr McEniff on behalf of Cllr.Gerry Crawford, Meara of County Donegal, in the presence of Ballyshannon Town Council Mayor, Cllr Eunan Doyle. An Environmental Improvement Scheme has been completed by Donegal County Council on The Mall Park in Ballyshannon which is situated in an area of high scenic beauty, overlooking the Erne Estuary. Despite its important strategic location in the town, the Park had become a neglected, decayed and underused public space in Ballyshannon.
With the completion of the substantial Environmental Improvement Scheme (EIS) in Allingham Park (formerly The Fairgreen, Ballyshannon) in 2007, it was agreed that complementary enhancement works would also be completed at The Mall Park in Ballyshannon. Both Allingham Park and The Mall Park are now two highly attractive green spaces in Ballyshannon which are enjoyed by the local community and tourists alike.
The upgrading of the Mall Park is the second phase of Environmental Improvement works to have been carried out in Ballyshannon since 2000. As noted above, Allingham Park (formerly known as the Fairgreen) was enhanced in 2007 and earlier previous schemes were carried out on the Main Street, Market Yard, Bus Office and Port Area Ballyshannon under the previous Urban & Village Renewal Scheme 1995-1999.
The works completed at ‘Mall Park’ include:
- Provision of paved walkways,
- Decorative street furniture (including benches, bins, picnic tables etc.),
- Decorative street lighting,
- Landscaping and Improvement works to the existing car park including the installation of removable bollards.
Site works were also prepared to facilitate the development of a public playground by the Mall Park Playground Group, with assistance from the Community & Enterprise Section of Donegal County Council (DCC).
Complementary street furniture was also purchased by the EIS Team as part of the Scheme for the surrounding areas of Mall Quay and New Bridge area using the Heritage, Environment, Arts, Rural Tourism (HEART) Initiative Funding (joint funding initiative between Community & Enterprise Section, Donegal County Council and Strabane District Council).
Funding for this scheme has been sourced from the Council’s own resources, the Ballyshannon Town Council and the HEART Initiative.
Officially opening the new Park, Cllr. McEniff, speaking on behalf of Cllr Gerry Crawford, Meara of County Donegal, paid tribute to the Environment Improvement Scheme that has been completed to the highest standard by the Council. He welcomed the newly enhanced shared green spaces in the town which have added significantly to this growing tourism destination in Donegal.