Tramore Valley Park, Public park in Cork, Ireland
Tramore Valley Park is a roughly 160-acre (65 ha) park on Cork's southside, built on the city's former landfill, which closed in 2009. Its boundaries form a broad triangle between the N40 South Ring Road to the south, the N27 South Link Road to the north-west and housing estates off the South Douglas Road to the north-east. Inside are a BMX track, a parkrun route and the EcoLab, an open shelter of rammed earth with a reed-thatched roof modelled on the Irish vernacular cottage.
Tramore Valley Park occupies the site of Cork city's former landfill, which ceased operation in 2009. Parts of the park opened in mid-2015, including a BMX track, and parkrun events began that September. Full opening was delayed by access and parking issues until May 2019, after a South Douglas Road pedestrian entrance and 400 parking spaces were added. A Half Moon Lane entrance followed in 2021 and the Vernon Mount bridge in November 2023.
Since 2021 the park has hosted the KinShip public art project, which produced EcoLab, an open shelter for public events. It is described as the first public building in Ireland made of rammed earth, with a reed thatch roof modelled on the Irish vernacular cottage. A weekly parkrun returned in July 2022 after a six-year break.
The park is open daily with parking available and separate access points for walkers and cyclists. Plan to spend at least an hour or two exploring the different zones at a comfortable pace.
A methane-fired combined heat and power station on the former landfill site began generating in 2012, when Cork City Council and Naturgy Energy announced the start of energy recovery. It then supplied 1.8MW, about 4% of Cork City's domestic power demand, later falling to 1MW.
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