Public consultation begins on Swellan Lake amenity plan

A public consultation is now underway to examine how best to develop Swellan Lake as an amenity for the public.

It follows the receipt of funding late last year by the Cavan Town Team for a study to examine the feasibility of opening up the lough and the area around to make it more accessible to walkers, fishermen and even those wishing to use the water for sports and leisure.

The €49,500 for the study was awarded by Minister for Rural and Community Development, Heather Humphreys, through the Outdoor Recreation Infrastructure Scheme.

The Swellan proposal was one of four local projects to received financial backing- the others being €22,693.50 towards the Lough MacNean Canoe Trail, and sums of €50,000 each for the Creevy Lough Recreational Masterplan and also the Drum Lough Circular Walkway.

Dublin based NJBA Architects and Urban Designers has been assigned to oversee the study.

The firm recently placed third in a competition for its proposed design for Bishop Lucey Park.

The consultation is being carried out in association with Parenthesis Research.

The plan to redevelop Swellan Lake as an amenity site is included in the Cavan Town Team's plan 2023-26.

In the short-term the plan sets out an ambition to secure funding for a feasibility study, with the next stages, which the group hope to implement in the next three to four years, to include appointing a consultant and eventually seeing work get underway.

Responses to the now live public consultation are invited via the council's online platform https://consult.cavancoco.ie.

A number of design ideas will be developed in response to the feedback, together with the design team's own research and development.

For further details contact ParenthesisResearch@gmail.com, including 'Swellan Lough' in the subject line.

The deadline for responses is Monday, August 12.