Major €200,000 upgrade for Bundoran's Waterworld playground

A major €200,000 refurbishment project has commenced at Bundoran’s main playground, overlooking the main beach and located right beside the popular Waterworld aquatic facility. 

It is anticipated that the project will be finished before or early in the New Year, with an eight week build timeframe.  

It is a familiar location for thousands of visitors who descend upon the resort each year and even featured in the recently acclaimed RTE’s black comedy, ‘Obituary’.

Contractors arrived on site last week and began with the removal of the existing elements of the old playground, much of which were outdated, while others were in a poor state of repair.

(Above: Cllr Michael McMahon at what will be the newly upgraded Bundoran playground when completed (Photo: Michael McHugh) 

The refurbishment works are to be carried out at the playground for the period stipulated during which time the playground will be temporarily closed, with contractor Hawthorn Heights Ltd, acting on behalf of Donegal County Council and the Community Recognition Fund. 

In advance of the project the local primary school was also consulted.

Visiting the site in recent days, Cllr Michael McMahon (SF) welcomed the improvements finally getting off the ground with the expected completion date before the New Year.

He said: “This is a big job, some €200,00O of an investment. It’s been a long time coming and many many years since the playground has been upgraded, maybe 20 years apart from the occasional new feature being added.  

“It will be all brand new features, a new seating area, coffee tables, from where you can watch your children playing, it will be an all new surface and will be fenced off,” he explained.

The fencing would not be similar to that of new playgrounds in other parts of the Municipal District constructed over recent years like the Mall playground in Ballyshannon, he added.  

(Above: Work has commenced on the new €200,000 playground Photo: Michael McHugh)

“The old playground had been hugely attractive to locals and tourists alike and it served its purpose well and we are very glad that this is finally coming to fruition.

“It will encompass a bigger area than before with work starting on site beginning last Tuesday. The work should be finished in six to eight weeks and well before the new season.”  

Cllr McMahon added that he was very happy about the outcome but the next focus would be the upgrading of the playground in the West End of the town, which again was showing its age.