Feasibility Study for Portrunny Amenity & Recreation Centre (“PARC”) www.portrun.ie June 2019 This page intentionally left blank Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 4 PART ONE: SITUATION ANALYSIS & OPPORTUNITY ASSESSMENT ......................................................... 6 1.0 Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 6 2.0 Site Appraisal .................................................................................................................................... 7 2.1 Portrunny ...................................................................................................................................... 7 2.2 Proposed PARC Initiative .............................................................................................................. 9 2.3 Local Context ............................................................................................................................... 11 2.4 Regional Context ......................................................................................................................... 14 2.5 Current Initiatives Underway or Planned ................................................................................... 15 3.0 Strategic Context ............................................................................................................................. 17 3.1 Regional Plans & Policies ............................................................................................................ 17 3.2 County Plans & Policies ............................................................................................................... 18 3.3 Local Plans & Policies .................................................................................................................. 19 3.4 Fáilte Ireland Grant Funding ....................................................................................................... 19 4.0 Market Analysis ............................................................................................................................... 20 4.1 Target Markets ............................................................................................................................ 20 4.2 Product: Market Matching .......................................................................................................... 20 5.0 Part One Summary .......................................................................................................................... 22 PART TWO: PARC CONCEPT DESIGN, PROCUREMENT, IMPLEMENTATION, RECOMMENDATIONS AND ACTION PLAN ........................................................................................................................................ 25 6.0 PARC Design .................................................................................................................................... 25 6.1 Design Context: Recreation and Innovation by Lough Ree – Colony, Station, Venue, Base ...... 25 6.2 Issues Identified .......................................................................................................................... 35 6.3 Brief for Proposed Development ................................................................................................ 36 6.4 Lough Ree – Sensitivity to Development – Medium – High........................................................ 37 6.5 The Site – Features and Considerations ...................................................................................... 38 6.6 Statutory Context ........................................................................................................................ 40 6.7 A Vision for the Future ................................................................................................................ 44 7.0 Recommendations .......................................................................................................................... 59 7.1 Visitor Access and Facilities ........................................................................................................ 59 7.2 Procurement ............................................................................................................................... 60 7.3 Funding and Phasing ................................................................................................................... 61 7.5 Management and Staffing .......................................................................................................... 62 8.0 Conclusion ....................................................................................................................................... 64 Appendix 1: List of Consultees .............................................................................................................. 65 Appendix 2: Relevant Policies and Plans ............................................................................................... 66 Appendix 3: Market Research ............................................................................................................... 75 Appendix 4: Case Studies ...................................................................................................................... 83 A4.1 Lough Boora, County Offaly ...................................................................................................... 83 A4.2 Croagh Patrick Visitor Centre, County Mayo ............................................................................ 85 A4.3 Stella Maris Community Centre, Kilmore Quay, County Wexford ........................................... 85 A4.4 Lakeside Centre, Ballyshannon, Co. Donegal............................................................................ 86 A4.5 Oxford Island Discovery Centre & Nature Reserve, Lough Neagh ........................................... 87 A4.6 Ti Chulainn Cultural Activity Centre, County Armagh ............................................................... 89 Appendix 5: SWOT ANALYSIS ................................................................................................................ 90 Appendix 6: Engineering Report ........................................................................................................... 92 Appendix 7: Architects Workbook ........................................................................................................ 93 Appendix 8: Expanded Vision – Phasing Model .................................................................................... 99 Figure 1 Image from PDA website Executive Summary The Portrun Development Association Ltd. (PDA) was established in 2001 to oversee projects in the area. Since 2016, kindled by local interest, fundraising, community support and a vital energy among key individuals, it has become a powerful engine for transformation in the locality, raising capital and executing essential upgrading works to the Portrunny area generally, with a specific focus on the marina and community amenity. During 2016, a series of consultations were held to craft an aspirational future for Portrunny. Issues identified included deficits in community services, meeting/event space, refreshment amenities, sanitary facilities, and a critical lack of enterprise/tourism opportunities. It was agreed that a collective solution would be welcomed by all. The PDA set an outline brief for a multi-purpose, stand-alone Portrunny Amenity and Recreation Centre (PARC). In late 2016, PDA approached Roscommon County Council to secure a site for the proposed centre. RCC have a 4.5-acre site at Portrunny and expressed interest in partnership, subject to feasibility. The local LEADER programme were soon on board to fund a professional study, and a collaborative design team were appointed, led by Rethink Tourism, in 2017. The team included georgeboyledesigns, architectural consultant and vision strategy advisor, and FDA consulting engineers, who carried out high-level infrastructural appraisals (see appendix 6). A dynamic gathering in February 2018 was attended by a highly-engaged audience, during which Rethink Tourism presented their research findings. Georgeboyledesigns presented a synopsis of inspirational features of the area: its lyrical beauty and evocative history, along with a short site appraisal and tentative strategy for development opportunity and formal orientation on the site. This detailed feasibility study contains the findings of the design team and builds on consultation undertaken with the community. The study was undertaken in two phases, with phase one consisting of site evaluation & opportunity assessment. This analysis of the current situation included: site analysis, including site suitability; market analysis including potential user groups; examples of relevant best practice; and SWOT analysis. This first phase concludes that there is a demonstrable need for a facility such as PARC at this beautiful location on Lough Ree, at a strategic location on the River Shannon and within Ireland’s Hidden Heartlands. The area currently lacks a hub that can provide required facilities and direct visitors to nearby attractions and activities. Its development would capitalise upon existing investment and provide a much needed amenity and recreation centre for the local community, as well as domestic and international