No plans for farmers market at Corkagh Park
SOUTH Dublin County Council currently has no plans to establish a farmers market in Corkagh Park – citing previous difficulties in establishing the venture in the county.
According to the council, the success of a farmers market is “highly dependent on location and volumes of pedestrian traffic.”
Corkagh Park
“Despite efforts to establish farmers markets in two prominent locations some years ago in Tallaght and in Corkagh Park, areas all frequented by pedestrians, the experience has highlighted the difficulties in establishing and maintaining the critical mass necessary for a successful farmers market.”
Cllr Trevor Gilligan (FF) believes Corkagh Park is the “ideal place” for a farmers market.
“When you arrive at the Naas Road car park entrance, you can’t even get a coffee. We need to make Corkagh Park more of an experience and get people more involved rather than just a park.”
Last year, the council produced a report for a major €5.6m rebranding of Corkagh Park, which could see the introduction of markets, a café, and a year round indoor facility to stage events.
However, from an economic perspective, the council said holding farmers markets would need to be “very carefully considered in relation the quality and content” and also the “potential impact on existing established businesses.”
Cllr Gilligan, who asked the council to consider the possibility at the recent Clondalkin area meeting, disagrees.
“It seems that we meet all the criteria set out by the council, great location, road frontage, footfall, etc,” he said.
“I would ask to even start small for two-three hours monthly on a weekend morning. From my understanding you would get some repeat businesses that attend similar food markets to attend the Corkagh farmers market. I don’t see huge costs in set up either.”
In response, the council said: “There are a number of criteria which are used to determine the suitability of a site including site location, road frontage, footfall, composition and diversity of the market, demand for and pricing of produce and the interaction with surrounding businesses. In addition, farmers markets are very vulnerable to weather conditions, in particular, wet and windy weather.”
The council said there are currently no proposals to establish a farmers market and no approach has been made to the council by any group or committee.
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