Details of new trees to be planted on Limerick's O'Connell Street revamp revealed

LIMERICK City and County Council has revealed the details of the trees which will be planted along O'Connell Street once its revamp is complete.

Work on the €9.1m project has paused for Christmas, but is expected to resume early in the New Year, and complete in the first quarter.

Pedestrian priority is planned for the main thoroughfare, with wider footpaths, on-street trading and 'spill out zones' from shops and cafes.

Street furniture will be introduced, while there will be water installations, sculptures and new plants.

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It was this final item which Social Democrats councillor Elisa O'Donovan sought clarity on at this month's metropolitan meeting.

She was told by the local authority's planning director Nuala Gallagher that there will be 24 raised box planters in the scheme, including four long planters at the four corners of the Thomas Street/Bedford Row junction.

Five tree-pits will be erected, three outside the former Debenhams building and two outside AIB.

*O’Connell Street Landscaping* At this months @LimerickCouncil Metropolitan meeting I asked for a detailed update on the landscaping scheme for O’Connell St including tree planting Planting works are detailed below which is expected to be completed by end of April next year. pic.twitter.com/H4nHov0mR2

— Cllr Elisa O'Donovan (@elisaodonovan) November 22, 2022

"There are three species of tree specified on the scheme including fastigate hornbeam, field maple and multi-stem birch," Ms Gallagher stated in a written reply, "The five tree pits will be planted with Fastigate Hornbeam."

Elsewhere, she added that field maples will be planted in the three box-planters in the north-west corner of the schbeme beside Burger King, and the three raised planter boxes planned beside Starbucks.

"Multi-stem birch will be planted in four groups of three in the raised planter boxes on the four corners of the Roches Street / Shannon Street junction, while the remainder of the raised and long planters will be planted with a variety of bulbs, shrubs and grasses," Cllr O'Donovan was told.

Mr Gallagher added that planting to most locations on the street will take place in the first quarter of 2023 in line with the expected completion of the revitalisation.