Sheriff Street Park, alternatively known as Rainbow Park, represents a scarcely used natural oasis in the northern part of Dublin’s town centre, despite local inhabitants’ desperate need for recreational and relaxation spots. The park, enclosed and predominantly bare apart from a few trees, lies in one of the city’s most impoverished and densely populated urban regions.
A diminutive play area within the park requires thorough safety checks to ensure no remnants of drug usage, dog faeces or shattered glass pose a threat before children from nearby Little Treasures community creche can be allowed in, explains childcare coordinator, Lisa Purcell. She elaborates that this situation becomes increasingly problematic during the summer months and the closest alternate playground is a considerable 25-minute trek away at Gardiner Street.
Having proposed to establish a “younger generation-friendly city overflowing with play opportunities aiming to elevate child residents’ quality of life” in its 2022–2027 Play Strategy Action Plan, Dublin City Council, the park’s owner, continues to neglect the accessibility of the park, much to the dissatisfaction of the local community.
However, it was open for a public event on Sunday featuring a variety of amenities such as inflatable castles, a teacups ride, a Captain Hook themed swing boat, and complimentary confectionery treats. This public event aimed to draw attraction to the public space, whilst also unveiling a preliminary report advocating for better management of the park by the council.
This report was the product of discussions carried out with local children, youths and community gatherings since March, with the primary impediments recognised as lack of access and safety, inadequate facilities, and under-utilisation of the park. The non-profit organisation, Playful City, coordinated these efforts and plans to deliver a conclusive report to the council later this year proposing solutions to design and establish “playful and inclusive spaces encouraging community health.
Local educator, Geraldine Brennan who provides an academic support scheme for children from four to 15 years, was amongst those in attendance on Sunday.
Currently, Rainbow Park remains an underutilised piece of land that could potentially serve as a beneficial area for children and the younger generation. Louise Finnegan, who is associated with Swan youth services as a street outreach worker and working with young individuals at the risk of problematic behaviour, expressed her opinion. She emphasised that expanding the park, establishing a community garden and creating a communal hub that could be used by clubs for varied activities such as running and men’s shed would be advantageous for the community. The location being proximate to the Irish Financial Services Centre (IFSC) and amidst high-value property, it’s disheartening to see a lack of investment in youth facilities.
Finnegan conveyed that it would be simply wonderful to have access to a pleasant outdoor environment to interact with their clients. According to the surveys conducted, the young individuals she engages with voiced their desire for certain additions to the park like fountains, zip-lines, benches, picnic tables, disability-friendly play equipment and more. She decisively argued that the community has the capability to steer its transformation and effectively manage it. The young children currently enjoying a bouncy castle slide stated they would like to see a slide, swings, see-saws, ducks and a rollercoaster in the revamped park.
A nine-year-old child, Andrea, opened up about her sister’s fondness of visiting the park but her disappointment when it’s often shut. She hoped for it to feature a standard park’s elements such as slides and ducks. A report by Playful City indicates a keen belief in the possibility of Rainbow Park evolving into an effervescent community hub, facilitating various events and activities.