A businessman who was forced to close his adventure centre in Co Meath due to soaring insurance costs is now operating an eco park on the site at a fraction of the premiums he was being charged five years ago.
Dave Robinson reluctantly had to shut the gates of Rathbeggan Lakes Family Adventure Park, near Dunshaughlin, in 2019 because the only insurance quote he could obtain was for €40,000 to cover the facilities for the year, twice what he had paid the previous year.
The excess on his premiums also jumped from €300 to €10,000, which contributed to the decision to close the 22 acre facility with the loss of 28 full and part-time jobs.
However, Mr Robinson – who describes himself as “always a man with a plan” – says the closure was a blessing in disguise.
Podcast: Terry Prone on allowing son Anton Savage to be in her publicity as a child: ‘I think it was the wrong thing to do’
Man who drowned off Galway coast named as singer-songwriter Johnny Duhan
Woman who alleges she was raped by Conor McGregor had ‘severe’ post-traumatic stress disorder, psychiatrist tells court
Owen Doyle: Ireland must ensure Scott Barrett’s claim about Joe McCarthy is not swept under the carpet
He used downtime during the Covid-19 pandemic to redevelop and reopen as an eco-park that offers stopovers for motorhomes and campervans with facilities only for those over 18. The annual public liability insurance for Meath Eco Park costs just €2,500.
“The new, quieter park has very quickly become a haven for all kinds of creatures,” Mr Robinson says. “It is breathtaking to watch kingfishers and dragonflies as we go about our everyday work. The pace of life here is far less frantic and I find I actually have time for the guests, both staying here, and those who join us for the regular biodiversity education days that we hold.”
The park boasts a 48-panel solar array, providing up to 90 per cent of the daily power requirements.
In another co-operative venture, Mr Robinson has teamed up with a local gutter and window cleaning business to harvest and utilise the rainwater falling on the park’s buildings. This is a source of pure water, which is perfect for washing windows without leaving streaks.
Mr Robinson hopes to offer the service to 30 window washing companies operating locally, providing them with pure water cheaper than it would cost them to treat the mains water themselves.
“I was thinking about it for a long time. Window cleaning businesses can’t use ordinary tap water as it tracks the glass and leaves a bad finish,” Mr Robinson says. “They often spend up to €70 a month on filtration, deionisation and water treatment systems so I thought, we have enough rainwater here. Why not harvest it and make it available for a nominal cost?
“It’s up and running now and thanks to the really wet spring we had, the pure rainwater is flowing nicely.
He says he has no regrets about closing the adventure park, which was a source of constant stress.
“My working life is way more serene now and I can appreciate things much more,” he says. “When we had the [adventure] park, I spent the day rushing around and keeping on top of everything. I actually hadn’t a moment to talk to anyone.
“Now, I have the time to chat with our guests from Ireland and all over the world and hear their incredible stories. It is a privilege now to run a business like this. It makes you realise that there are so many people struggling and stressing to make a living without realising that they aren’t living at all.”
- Sign up for push alerts and have the best news, analysis and comment delivered directly to your phone
- Join The Irish Times on WhatsApp and stay up to date
- Listen to our Inside Politics podcast for the best political chat and analysis