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WHEN YOU THINK of family-friendly parks, you certainly don’t think of mounds of rubbish.
But did you know that some really beautiful nature reserves and parks are based right on top of former dumps?
Ireland
In 2005, Ireland was found by the European Court of Justice to be in breach of the Waste Framework Directive at a number of sites throughout the country, including Kilbarry Landfill in Waterford City.
A key component of the findings related to the loss of ecologically significant areas of semi-natural habitat, namely part of Kilbarry Bog in this instance, and according to Waterford City Council, Ireland’s response “included projects to construct compensatory wetland habitat”.
In the council’s Development Plan, it was stated as an objective to “complete the remediation of the Kilbarry Bog landfill site including its development as a public amenity”. It has now rolled the development of the bog in with the redevelopment of the landfill and the proposed Waterford Nature Park.
Kilbarry Park
The park was officially opened on Friday 1 June by President Michael D Higgins.
The Kilbarry Landfill was first opened in the 1970s, and as the President himself put it, the construction of a park on this site marks a new chapter in its history, “transforming what was as a negative on the landscape to something positive which aims to restore and protect our natural environment and heritage”.
At that time little thought was given, little was said to the future consequences of simply burying rubbish in the ground. Things have changed in the intervening years. As a nation our eyes became opened to the impacts of our choices and we are educated to the values of reducing waste and maximising recycling.
Remediation works have been carried out at Kilbarry landfill, with the lands developed as a public amenity area/public park. Kilbarry Park is around 50 acres in size and includes the creation of compensatory wetland habitats.
How was it turned into a park?
In October 2005 work began on the lining phase of this plan, with the installation of a plastic membrane to seal off the waste body from the surrounding environment. A “cap” of subsoil to a minimum depth of 1 metre was then spread out over the lining materials.
In November 2006, work began on the installation of a gas extraction system, where the methane is burned off at the flare.
According to the Department of the Environment:
The park focuses on attracting a diverse range of plant and wild life, creating a unique nature space in close proximity to the city whilst also providing a public area for recreational use. The park includes constructed wetlands, a wildflower meadow, and approximately 20,000 planted trees.
The park also includes perimeter fitness trails, viewing areas with information boards and a seating/picnic area.
Did the council get a grant?
According to the Department of the Environment, the masterplan has been modeled on similar, but much larger landfill regeneration projects such as Freshkills Park in New York and Cultuurpark Westergasfabriek in Amsterdam.
The department provided grant assistance under the Landfill Remediation Scheme, for closed licenced local authority landfills. The final use of a former landfill site is generally a matter for individual local authorities.
What’s happening in Cork?
In Cork, work was recently announced on Tramore Valley Park, at the site of which was once city’s main dump.
It currently looks like this:
Pic: Brady Shipman Martin
Michael O’Brien from Cork City Council explained that the site on the Old Kinsale Road was developed as a dump from 1964 – 2009. With 3 million tonnes/7 hectares of rubbish dumped on it, it was a major landfill.
The council got a licence from the EPA to manage it, and as part of this they had to cap the site and cover it with specialised clay material. They also had to collect the gases and leachate which naturally are produced by the dumped materials in the landfill.
The site has been progressively capped for the last eight years at a cost of around €30 million. There are still 7.5 hectares / 23 acres left to cap, which will hopefully take place next year.
Pic: Brady Shipman Martin
O’Brien explained:
As part of the capping process we are designing it in such a way that it can be converted immediately into an ordinary park.
It has also been designed for events in certain areas. A masterplan for the site says that it could eventually be used in the long term for outdoor events, and it is planned that it will be used as a motorhome park and an adventure park.
The current funding is for finishing the capping process, and another €10 million in funds is needed to put the other plans in place. That money will come from a variety of sources including the Government and tourist agencies. The site is 2kms from city centre.
Future plans
It is hoped that it will connect with the Vernon Mount area in coming years and allow cyclists to travel straight from the Grange and Shamrock Lawn areas, for example, into the city.
The site already generates electricity for between 1500 – 2000 people by taking gas being generated underground.
The site will also have a biodiversity element with lots of flora and fauna.
Pic: Brady Shipman Martin
The plan is to set up the site so that big events can be held there, with adventure sports and activities, an assault course, climbing wall, viewing tower, zip wires and a 3D maze. Then there are hopes to have nature trails and outdoor classrooms made from recycled materials.
What about the dumped waste?
The Cork site was prepared for being turned into a park with soil, subsoil and topsoil being placed over the clay. The rubbish has been compacted by the council, but as it breaks down it will shift somewhat. O’Brien said that because of this, there will be no buildings in the areas that are most vulnerable to changing.
Other landfills-turned-parks
According to the City Parks Blog, in the USA in 1915, the former Rainier Dump in Seattle was turned into the Rainier Playfield, while the Miller Street Dump was later turned into part of the Washington Park Arboretum.
One landfill-turned-park in Virginia Beach is called Mount Trashmore, in homage to its past, and was made in 1974. Acres of green land cover over an 800-foot-high mound of refuse.
Here is footage of a landfill in NorthWake that was turned into park:
(wakegov/Youtube)
However, in Ohio, some parks ran into trouble with fluctuating levels of methane gas. Officials said the issue was being overblown, but locals said the dumps weren’t monitored.
Below are some photographs of what the Cork dump site could look like when all the work to transform it into a park is completed.
What do you think of landfills being turned into parks?
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This was being talked about back in the early 2000s when I lived beside the dump. I really hope it happens as it would be a great for the people of Cork especially those with kids.
A lot of parks in dublin are former tipheads Kilgobbet in Cabinteely was a tiphead in my childhood
Great idea! Let’s just hope it’s completed within my lifetime.
It’ll prob just be left as a normal park with one event a year happening there like the other parks. City needs a jolt, there’s F*** all happening anytime
Did you miss the 3 days of free gigs and food fairs with the Murphy’s Weekender 2 weeks ago? Or have you got a ticket for the Octoberfest beg next week? Plenty of stuff on if you can be bothered to get off your ass…
Ah that’s right! I knew I had forgot I’m meant to drink every weekend :-/ how about something that doesn’t involve drinking? You know what they did put in the park during the summer? street performers. Should they not be on the street?
What part of “3 days of free gigs and food fairs” requires you to drink? Did you miss the Tramore Valley Park open day as well? All the free stuff during heritage week, what about the Cork Harbour festival next week? There was 3 free gigs in the Pavillion last night, DJ sets afters…
If you used the Internet to do a bit of research instead of posting shi’te about my city I might have some tolerance for you.
Tolerance? Oh I beg your forgiveness. I guess living in cork city for half my life,currently, doesn’t entitle me to an opinion on it. Spoken like a true rebel. Nice.
The Kilbarry park is a welcome development. I’m concerned though in the delays in the take over of Mt Congreve in Waterford, a world renowned garden which has been left to the State.
As long as the methane is managed (used for gas lighting?) then it is an excellent idea, but it won’t happen and will remain as picture 1 for the next 20 years, which is fine. The council should plan for this and remember to cut the grass.
Is there a prize for best use of photoshop release 1 in a planning proposal? The photos of the plan are slightly comical, and eeks of an all-nighter before it was submitted!
It’s a great plan but in reality it’s 10yrs off and probably some more. accessibility is another issue, it’ll just be like Mahon Point, one bus every now and then etc. fair play for the master-plan and I do hope it comes to fruition in all honesty and doesn’t die a death like the docklands proposals
You can get to there via the park and ride next door so there’s a bus every 15-30 mins from the city centre. You can access the site from the South Douglas Road too. There’s already running tracks ( I ran a race there earlier this year) and GAA/rugby playing pitches. It will be fully open to the public in 2013, but will take 10-15 years to fully develop.
Sounds like a great place to bring your pet Sea Gull for a walk
If done properly this is a fantastic opportunity
10 years off is far better than never…
bury all our politicians in town dumps, then the methane levels would really soar, and the gas-bags would finally contribute something useful.
Yawn…
when was this article written?
The Housing estate where I once lived in Monaghan town was built over a dump, useless bit of information for yas ;-D
Well at least our highly paid over rated planners are doing some good these days….. Ah wait this proposal was probably out sourced…..
It was outsourced: http://www.bradyshipmanmartin.com/index.php?nav=10/15
When was this article written? I can see it says 9th of September but can’t see the year?
Hi Orna, it was published in September 2012.
Interesting idea. They can start with Kildare Street in Dublin…..
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