Dublin city centre playground faces 300,000 repair bill after fire and vandalism over Halloween

"In a report to the Central Area Committee, Dublin City Council confirmed that Diamond Park, located off Lower Gardiner Street, "sustained significant damage" following a gathering on Friday, October 24, which resulted in "malicious damage to the playground equipment and severe fire damage to the play tower". According to Deirdre Prince, Senior Executive Parks Officer and Landscape Architect for the Central and North West Parks Districts, "it was deemed necessary to close the park the following day to undertake a thorough assessment of the damage and to ensure the site's safety for public access"."

"She said several fencing panels were also "irreparably damaged" and have since been removed for safety reasons. "Regrettably, the playground will remain closed in its entirety until repair works can be scheduled and completed," Ms Prince said. The incident marks the third time since the park opened just over two years ago that vandalism has forced a closure. "This is the third time vandalism has caused significant damage to the playground and the park, which has resulted in closure of this much-needed amenity space in the area since its opening just over two years ago," Ms Prince noted in her report. The damage, described as "extensive", will require a specialist structural survey to determine whether the fire compromised the integrity of the playground's main structures. "Parks Services will engage a playground specialist to carry out a survey of the playground to ensure that the fire has not significantly damaged any structural elements," Ms Prince said, estimating repair costs to be "in the order of €250,000 to €300,000 including the fence panels"."

Diamond Park, off Lower Gardiner Street, sustained significant malicious damage and severe fire damage to the play tower after a gathering on October 24. The park closed the following day to assess damage and ensure public safety. Several fencing panels were irreparably damaged and removed for safety reasons. The playground will remain fully closed until repairs are scheduled and completed. This is the third closure caused by vandalism since the park opened in August 2023. Parks Services will engage a playground specialist to assess structural integrity, with estimated repair costs around €250,000 to €300,000 including fence panels.

Read at Irish Independent