Work completed on the running track in Carrigaline - Sept 2021

Update 22nd Sept 2021: The new running track in Carrigaline has now been finished and is open to the public.

As you can see from the photos above and below courtesy of Cork County Council, they made a fine job of it.

The track which is behind the Community Centre is about 430 metres in length and it connects in to the other paths in the Community Park so that bigger loops can be completed. As outlined below, it could form the basis of a very nice weekly 2k parkrun for kids if the local community got the ball rolling.

More info below...

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15th Sept 2021

After a very long delay, work recommenced recently on resurfacing the new running track in Carrigaline. As outlined in a previous post, this project was first approved in September of 2019.

The photo above by Cllr Seamus McGrath shows workmen applying a new surface.

This track is about 430 metres in length and would be ideal for anyone who wants to do a very short run. It would be ideal for say someone doing a Couch to 5k programme as you're never too far from where you started.

There are also paths in the adjacent park so there is an option doing 660 metre loops as well.

Possible junior parkrun??? ... Once the new track is up and running, it does raise the question of whether a weekly 2km junior parkrun would be viable in Carraline? These are for 4 to 14 year olds and are held on Sundays at 9:30am in various locations around the country.

There are currently two successful 2km junior parkruns in Cobh and Ballincollig. Cobh has a population of 12,800 while Ballincollig has 18,600. Carrigaline has a population of 15,800 so it should be a viable from a numbers viewpoint.

The existing junior parkrun in Cobh uses four loops to make up the required 2km distance.

For Carrigaline, four and half loops of the new track could be used or other existing paths could be used to make the loop bigger.

This is a 510 metre loop....

And this is a 660m loop which would cut the number of laps down to three.

As the event would be held at 9:30am on a Sunday morning, the park should be pretty quiet at that time.

Like the adult version, the whole ethos of junior parkrun is participation rather than competing. The aim is for 4 to 14 year olds to get some weekly exercise outdoors.

For a junior parkrun to be established, the initiative has to come first from the local community. I believe the one in Cobh was started by the local GAA club. Once there is the level of interest, parkrun Ireland can then advise on what is required.