The Milford & District Resource Centre has published a proposal for a new town park to be developed for the Milford community.
As public consultations have kicked off as part of the master plan for Milford, the resource centre has identified vacant land between Lower Mount Marian and the Church Road to be developed into a recreational area for all.
They said: “The land has been vacant for as long as anyone can remember and surely offers an excellent opportunity for development – for the right project – due to its location in the heart of Milford.”
The MDRC proposal can be viewed on their social media and on their website: www.mdrc.ie.
MDRC’s 10-page proposal demonstrates the possibility of a top-class facility in Milford with an accessible, modern town park which would be of huge benefit to the people of the town. MDRC had originally made the proposal to Donegal County Council in 2020 and have been in conversation with council officials since then.
The Milford Town Centre First Plan now represents a real opportunity to bring that proposal along into a concrete plan as consultant architects work on a number of key projects to include in an overall master plan, which will be presented to the town in late May.
“We have published our proposal so that the people of Milford can realise what the potential of this Town Centre First Plan really is” said Declan Meehan, manager of Milford & District Resource Centre.
“We have long said that this plan is a once in a generation opportunity for the town, and as such, a proposal which results in a tangible difference for people living in Milford is one which should be included in the master plan. That can only happen if people agree with us and express support to the council and consultants through the consultation process – online and in person.”
“We have been working on this idea for almost three years, engaging with the Council and local residents in Radharc na Cille and Lower Mount Marian and we believe that this plan is a good starting point for realising the full potential of that vacant land, while maximising impact for everyone in the town. We are aware that there are alternative ideas out there for this land, and that is to be welcomed, but we in MDRC want to ensure that whatever is ultimately planned for and developed there is to the benefit of the maximum amount of people in Milford. A shared community facility like a town park would be a good way of achieving this.”
The proposal highlights the lack of communal green space in Milford and offers the town park idea as a solution to this. It also makes the case that such a facility could be used for a host of events like outdoor concerts and performances, festivals, markets and fairs as well as family fun days.
“The whole point of this plan is meant to be the re-energising and regeneration of Milford’s town centre,” Meehan said. “Planning for a town park which everyone in the community can use, young and old, and providing a safe space for people to gather and play in would be a fantastic development for the town.”
Meehan and Milford & District Resource Centre are asking people to engage with the consultation process to put across their own views on what should be included in the Town Centre First Plan. The online consultation form is available on www.milfordtowncentrefirst.com and is open until March 7th.
