Mallow Town Park, Mallow Castle Grounds and Mallow Castle Lower Park have all been interconnected by Cork County Council to create a unique 84-acre amenity park. Over 5km of pathways catering for walkers, runners, and bicycle users has been developed, which promotes and encourages greater use of the outdoor facilities in Mallow.
Client Vision
The site is a catalyst for rejuvenation of Mallow Town Centre, with plans underway to develop the castle and grounds as a major tourist attraction for the North Cork area with works being delivered in a phased manner.
The Project was for the provision of New Railings and Automated Gates to facilitate new access to parking and to provide safety and security. They were to be selected, designed and installed to avoid excessive visual impacts in the garden areas and broader grounds and to complement the location history and future use of The Castle
Key Challenges
The site was an extremely sensitive heritage location of national importance. Protected under provisions of the National Monuments Act, All works were to be carried out in compliance with exacting archaeological standards and practice.The selection of a Railing which worked to prevent unauthorized intrusion but also complemented the history and architecture of the site was of significant importance. A method of work which was acceptable to The Resident Architect and enabled achievement of the Client and Contractors programme was required,.
Overcoming The Challenges
On this project Brian Healy our Munster Regional Manager worked closely with Director of Vision Contracting, Mick Allen and Contracts Manager Donal Coleman The railing selected an Interwoven Bow was developed initially 20 years ago for use in Trinity College Dublin another Heritage site and was based on 18th Century design. Our installation crews as well as normal Health and Safety briefings also attended archaeological whiteboard meetings in order to be aware of potential issues on a daily basis.
Products Used .
The Products selected were 2000mm high Interlaced Bow-top Railing together with matching gates suitable for below ground automation, comprising 2no 2000mm wide & 1no 6000mm wide which were installed on new stone wall and stone gate pillars constructed by Vision Contracting..
We fabricated and finished products in a Black RAL 9005 Coating over full Hot Dipped Galvanising (Plasgalv®) which will provide a long-lasting maintenance free finish,with a significant reduction in the use of paints and the pollutant volatile organic compounds (VOCs) produced in their manufacture and application. The Railings were manufactured at our premises in Inchicore, Dublin.
Positive Outcomes
The project has received many plaudits and the footfall in the castle grounds has increased dramatically making the Castle Park, Mallows number one visitor attraction.
