Cork City is preparing to host an open-air playground for all ages on Culture night as part of the latest “Open Streets” events.
On Friday evening , September 20th , Cork City Council in association with its partners Cork Chamber, Cork Business Association, Cork Environmental Forum, Transport & Mobility Forum, Lets play Cork, Cork Cycling Group, Bus Éireann, Irish Rail, Cork Volunteer Bureau and An Garda Síochána will host the latest in a series of events where members of the public are encouraged to come to town on these days without their car, either by walking, cycling or using public transport.
Cornmarket Street, North Main Street, St Patricks Street and Grand Parade will be full of animation for the evening with music, games and more. North Main Street will be opened to play with a series of street games and play equipment available for all to use from 5pm to 7pm. Cornmarket street will see the piloting of a novel experience – where darkness is transformed in to a playful glow zone from 6pm to 9p.m. In an enclosed marquee, there will be ultraviolet lights and specially designed play equipment designed to inspire new ways we can play together in public spaces during the long winter evenings ahead.
And for play of a sporting kind, Cork City Council, in conjunction with Basketball Ireland brings 3×3 basketball to the city. We all know Cork people like a good ball hop so come try your hand at the two courts that will be installed temporarily on Grand Parade. There will also be pop up music along St Patricks street.
Please note: The quays and all car parks will be open to traffic as normal and street closures will be applied to St. Patrick Street, North Main Street, Cornmarket Street, Castle Street and Adelaide Street from 4 p.m. to 10 p.m. Buses and taxis will be able to access St. Patrick Street as normal. Access for blue badge holders and local residents will also be facilitated as normal.
This is the fifth Open Streets event this year and the organisers welcome suggestions from other groups in the city and its suburbs who wish to host similar events in their communities.
While car parks are unaffected for those who do need to take the car, the organisers are encouraging everyone to walk, cycle or take public transport into town that day. For a detailed map and further details see www.corkcity.ie
Running order:
North Main Street – Play Street 5-7pm
Cornmarket Street – Play in the dark 6p.m to 9p.m.
Grand Parade 3×3 Basketball 4pm to 10p.m.
St Patricks Street – Pop-up music from 4pm to 10p.m.
The “Open Streets” series comes following research, commissioned by Cork City Council’s Climate Action Unit, that revealed 29% of greenhouse gas emissions in Cork City are caused by road transport. A further study revealed that 64% of Cork people strongly agree “Cork must transform into a more sustainable place to live and work that is climate neutral and resilient’ and that 86% of Cork people want more pedestrianized streets. Further research, as presented by the National Transport Authority/Sustrans Cork Metropolitan Area Walking & Cycling Index, showed that 80% of Cork inhabitants agree that increasing space for residents socialising, walking, wheeling, and cycling on their local main street would improve their local area.