A south Dublin local authority spent €750,000 on the construction of a new entrance consisting of 14 steps and a ramp at a suburban park in Mount Merrion.
Construction works to renovate the entrance to Deer Park was needed due to problems with accessibility, Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council has said.
The council said the work at Deer Park, which was completed recently, had cost €753,528 inclusive of VAT.
It said the main civil engineering contractor’s works cost €700,862.50 while traffic signalling works and equipment cost nearly €41,500.
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The local authority said the bill for tree-protection measures was €6,249.59, while the cost of heritage sign design and manufacturing was €4,932.30.
The entrance consists of 14 steps with handrails and a ramp to expand access. It was paid for by the National Transport Authority, which is publicly funded.
The council said Deer Park was one of Dún Laoghaire-Rathdown County Council’s flagship parks.
“The previous arrangement at this location did not provide an accessible option for people entering the park. The steps were different sizes and did not meet any accessibility guidelines.
“The new facilities provide fully accessible access. That includes a ramp for those with mobility impairments. It not only connects the park to the road network but also the church and local school.”
The council said construction works at Deer Park included structural concrete retaining walls to facilitate the ramp installation, new steps which were built to current accessibility guidelines, including handrails as well landscaping and public realm space in addition to a new traffic signal junction including pedestrian crossings at new ramp location.
It said the works also involved road resurfacing, service ducting, including drainage gullies, traffic signal ducts, heritage signage and tactile paving.
“This was a significant engineering project that encountered many challenges during the construction, including the discovery of previously unidentified electrical cables. These had to be relocated to facilitate the construction. The new scheme provides a high-quality access point to this park that will add benefits to the area for years to come.”
