Pollinator garden proposed for new Blackwater Park footbridge carpark

Meath County Council is to investigate the possibility of providing a pollinator garden in the new carpark at Balmoral adjacent to the Blackwater footbridge.

At a meeting of Navan Municipal Council last week, Cllr Eddie Fennessy called on the council to include a pollinator garden “in the design of the new car park planned for installation next to the pedestrian foot-bridge at Bell Hill/Balmoral.”

He was told the feasibility of incorporating such a garden into the available landscaping areas associated with the proposed car park would be investigated during the design phase. Cllr Fennessy said pollinator gardens provide essential habitats for bees, butterflies and other insects.

“They support biodiversity, they help to sustain eco-systems and they enhance soil and environmental health. The eco-system at Balmoral/Bell Hill has had lots of necessary and managed disturbance over recent years through the provision of the footbridge and now a car park.

“I think it is important that we give something back to the eco-system down there and I believe the installation of a pollinator garden next to the proposed car park would go some of the way towards doing that.

“I encourage the council to give serious consideration to this proposal and to include it in their plan,” he said.