Deal done to lease Laois council property for village's first playground

A long awaited deal has been struck to see a Laois village get its first public playground.

Laois Council Council is to lease the 0.522ha site of a derelict national school in Ballyroan to Ballyroan Community Development Association, agreed by councillors this week at their March 31 monthly meeting.

The council had bought the vacant old boys school in Ballyroan from the Catholic parish in 2023, after it was vacated and allowed to fall derelict. The growing village is some 10km south of Portlaoise.

The volunteer Ballyroan group will now lease it for 21 years, at a nominal cost of €100 a year.

They have spent recent years working on their plan and holding fundraisers to build a playground on the grounds of the school, with further plans to convert the formerly national school into a community venue.

Most recently, they held a glitzy Ballyroan Goes To Hollywood fundraiser, see photos.

It raised over €106,000.

BCDA member, Cllr Barry Walsh proposed approval of the lease, at the March 31 monthly meeting of Laois County Council.

“This is the culmination of a few years work, getting the site over the line. We hope to break ground in summer. It will be a great addition to the community,” he said.

Cllr John Joe Fennelly seconded, praising the local fundraising efforts.

The plan for Ballyroan playground and Multi-Use Games Area.

Last April the project was awarded half a million euros towards the playground, a multi-use games area, carparking and a landscaped communal area, as a grant from the Town and Village Renewal Scheme.